UC-NRLF 


B    5    AZT    S7D 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

IN  MEMORY  OF 

*  Georgia  Stamm 

Chamberlain 
1910-1915 


CALL 


THE   UNCONVERTED, 


TURN   AND   LIVE 


BY. REV.  RICHARD  BAXTER, 

WHO  DIED  A.  D.   1691. 


HEVT8ED    AND  SLIGHTLY  ABRIDGED. 


PUBLISHED   BY  THE 

AMERICAN   TRACT   SOCIETY 

150  NASSAU. STREET,  NEW    YORK. 


Tl  is  edition  has  been  compared  with  the  London  edition  of 
Baxter's  works,  in  twenty-three  volumes,  1830.  Some  obso- 
lete terms  and  antiquated  forms  of  expression  have  been 
changed,  and  an  obscure  passage  at  the  beginning  of  Doctrine 
3,  with  a  few  lines  touching  points  on  which  Evangelical 
Christians  differ,  omitted. 


*OAN  STACK 
GIFT 


S3 
YHfr/A) 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 

A  Preface  to  the  Unsanctified,  exhorting  them  to  turn  and 
live,  ..........       7 

The  Text  opened, 21 

DOCTRINE  I.  It  is  the  unchangeable  Law  of  God, 
that  wicked  men  must  turn  or  die,  .         .         .         .25 

Objection.  God  will  not  be  so  unmerciful  as  to  damn 
us — Answered,  .......  28 

Who  are  wicked  men,  and  what  conversion  is ;  and 
how  we  may  know  whether  we  are  wicked  or  con- 
verted,           .         .         .35 

DOCT.  II.  It  is  the  promise  of  God,  that  the  wicked 
shall  live,  if  they  will  but  turn — unfeignedly  and  thor- 
oughly turn, 58 

DOCT.  III.  God  taketh  pleasure  in  men's  conversion 
and  salvation,  but  not  in  their  death  ar  damnation.  He 
had  rather  they  would  turn  and  live,  than  go  on  and  die,     67 

DOCT.  IV.  The  Lord  hath  confirmed  it  to  us  by  his 
oath,  that  he  has  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked, 
but  rather  that  he  turn  and  live  ;  that  he  may  leave  man 
no  pretence  to  question  the  truth  of  it,  .         .         .         .     75 

Who  is  it  then  that  takes  pleasure  .'.n  men's  sin  and 
death  7     Not  God,  nor  ministers,  nor  any  good  men,     76 

DOCT.  V.  So  earnest  is  God  for  the  conversion  of 
sinners  that  he  doubleth  his  commands  and  exhortations, 
with  vehemency — "  Turn  ye,  turn  ye,"      ,  .  84 

Some  motives  to  obey  God's  call,  and  turn,      "   .         .87 

021 


4  CONTENTS. 

PAOR 

DOCT.  VI.  The  Lord  condescendeth  to  reason  the 
case  with  unconverted  sinners,  and  to  ask  them  why  they 

will  die, 102 

A  strange  disputation.     1.  For  the  question.     2.  The 

disputants,     . 11 12 

Wicked  men  will  die,  or  destroy  themselves,  .         .        103 
Sinners  are  certainly  unreasonable,     .         .         ,  108 

Their  seeming  reasons  confuted,     .         .         .         .101) 

Question.  Why  are  men  so  unreasonable,  and  loath  to 
turn,  that  they  will  thus  destroy  themselves  ? — An- 
swered, .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .  128 

DOCT.  VII.  If  after  all  this  men  will  not  turn,  it  is 
not  the  fault  of  God  that  they  are  condemned,  but  their 
own,  even  their  own  wilfulness.  They  die  because  they 
will,  that  is,  because  they  will  not  turn,       .         .         .        133 

1.  How  unfit  the  wicked  are  to  charge  God  with  their 
damnation.  It  is  not  because  God  is  unmerciful,  but 
because  they  are  cruel  and  merciless  to  themselves,  142 

Objection.  We  cannot  convert  ourselves — Answered,  147 

2.  The  subtlety  of  Satan,  the  deceitfulness  of  sin  and 

the  folly  of  sinners  manifested,       ...         .  149 

3.  No  wonder  if  the  wicked  would  hinder  the  conver- 
sion and  salvation^  of  others,       .         .         .         .150 

4.  Man  is  the  greatest  enemy  to  himself,  .  .  .150 
Man's  destruction  is  of  himself,  .  .  .  .  151 
The  heinous  aggravations  of  self-destruction,  .  .159 
The  concluding  exhortation,  .  .  .  .162 
Ten  directions  for  those  who  had  rather  turn  than  die,  168 


ADVERTISEMENT. 

THE    GREAT    SUCCESS    WHICH    ATTENDED    THE    CALL 
WHEN    FIRST    PUBLISHED. 


It  may  be  proper  to  prefix  an  account  of  this  book  given  by 
Mr.  Baxter  himself,  which  was  found  in  his  study  after  his 
death,  in  his  own  words : 

"  I  published  a  short  treatise  on  conversion  entitled,  A  Call 
to  the  Unconverted.  The  occasion  of  this  was  my  converse 
with  Bishop  Usher  while  I  was  at  London  ;  who,  approving 
my  method  and  directions  for  Peace  of  Conscience,  was  impor- 
tunate with  me  to  write  directions  suited  to  the  vaiious  states 
of  Christians,  and  also  against  particular  sins.  I  reverenced 
the  man,  but  disregarded  these  persuasions,  supposing  I  could 
do  nothing  but  what  is  done  better  already  :  but  when  he  was 
dead  his  words  went  deeper  to  my  mind,  and  I  purposed  to 
obey  his  counsel ;  yet,  so  as  that  to  the  first  sort  of  men,  the 
ungodly,  I  thought  vehement  persuasions  meeter  than  direc- 
tions only  ;  and  so  for  such  I  published  this  little  book,  which 
God  hath  blessed  with  unexpected  success,  beyond  all  the  rest 
that  I  have  written,  except  The  Saints'  Rest.  In  a  little  more 
than  a  year  there  were  about  twenty  thousand  of  them  printed 
by  my  own  consent,  and  about  ten  thousand  since,  besides 
many  thousands  by  stolen  impressions,  which  poor  men  stole 
or  lucre's  sake.     Through  God's  mercy  I  have  information  of 


6  ADVERTISEMENT. 

almost  whole  households  converted  by  this  small  book  which 
I  set  so  light  by ;  and,  as  if  all  this  in  England,  Scotland, 
and  Ireland,  were  not  mercy  enough  to  me,  God,  since  I  was 
silenced,  hath  sent  it  over  in  his  message  to  many  beyond  the 
seas  ;  for  when  Mr.  Eliot  had  printed  all  the  Bible  in  the  Ind- 
ian language,  he  next  translated  this  my  Call  to  the  Uncon- 
verted, as  he  wrote  to  us  here.  And  yet  God  would  make 
some  farther  use  of  it ;  for  Mr.  Stoop,  the  pastor  of  the  French 
Church  in  London,  being  driven  hence  by  the  displeasure  of 
his  superiors,  was  pleased  to  translate  it  into  French.  I  hope 
it  will  not  be  unprofitable  there  ;  nor  in  Germany,  where  also 
it  has  been  printed.'* 

It  may  be  proper  further  to  mention  Dr.  Bates*  account  of 
the  author  of  this  useful  treatise.  In  his  sermon  at  Mr.  Bax- 
ter's funeral,  he  thus  says :  "  His  books  of  practical  divinity 
have  been  effectual  for  more  conversions  of  sinners  to  God 
than  any  printed  in  our  time  ;  and  while  the  church  remaing 
on  earth,  will  be  of  continual  efficacy  to  recover  lost  souls. 
There  is  a  vigorous  pulse  in  them,  that  keeps  the  reader 
awake  and  attentive.  His  Call  to  the  Unconverted,  how 
small  in  bulk,  but  how  powerful !  Truth  speaks  in  it  with 
such  authority  and  efficacy,  that  it  makes  the  reader  to  lay 
his  hand  upon  his  heart,  and  find  that  he  has  a  soul  and  a 
conscience,  though  he  lived  before  as  if  he  had  none.  He 
told  some  friends,  that  six  brothers  were  converted  by  reading 
this  Call ;  and  that  every  week  he  received  letters  of  some 
converted  by  his  books.  This  he  spake  with  most  humble 
thankfulness,  that  God  was  pleased  to  use  him  tm  »»  instru- 
ment for  the  salvation  of  souls." 


PROM   THE  AUTHOR'S  PREFACE. 

TO  ALL  UNSANCTIFIED  PERSONS  THAT  SHALL  READ  THIS 
B  JOK,  ESPECIALLY  OF  MY  HEARERS  IN  KIDDERMINSTER. 


Men  and  Brethren — The  eternal  God,  that  made  you 
for  a  life  everlasting',  and  hath  redeemed  you  by  his  only 
Son,  when  you  had  lost  it  and  yourselves,  being  mindful  of 
you  in  your  sin  and  misery,  hath  indited  the  Gospel,  and 
sealed  it  by  his  Spirit,  and  commanded  his  ministers  to 
preach  it  to  the  world ;  that  pardon  being  freely  offered 
you,  and  Heaven  being  set  before  you,  he  might  call  you 
off  from  your  fleshly  pleasuves,  and  from  following  after 
this  deceitful  world,  and  acquaint  you  with  the  life  that 
you  were  created  and  redeemed  for,  before  you  are  dead 
and  pabt  remedy.  He  sendeth  you  not  prophets  or  apos- 
tles, that  receive  their  message  by  immediate  revelation ; 
but  yet  he  calleth  you  by  his  ordinary  ministers,  who  are 
commissioned  by  him  to  preach  the  same  Gospel  which 
'Christ  and  his  apostles  first  delivered.  The  Lord  seeth 
how  you  forget  him  and  your  latter  end,  and  how  light 
you  make  of  everlasting  things,  as  men  that  understand 
not  what  they  have  to  do  or  suffer.  He  seeth  how  bold 
you  are  in  sin,  how  fearless  of  his  threatenings,  and  how 
careless  of  your  souls,  and  how  the  works  of  infidels  are 


8  PREFACE. 

in  your  lives,  while  the  belief  of  Christians  is  in  your 
mouths.  He  seeth  the  dreadful  day  at  hand,  when  your 
sorrows  will  begin,  and  you  must  lament  all  this  with 
fruitless  cries  in  torment  and  desperation :  then  the  re- 
membrance of  your  folly  will  tear  your  hearts,  if  true 
conversion  now  prevent  it  not. 

In  compassion  to  your  sinful  miserable  souls,  the  Lord, 
that  better  knows  your  case  than  you  can  know  it,  hath 
made  it  our  duty  to  speak  to  you  in  his  name,  2  Cor.  5 :  19, 
and  to  tell  you  plainly  of  your  sin  and  misery*and  what' 
will  be  your  end,  and  how  sad  a  change  you  will  shortly 
see,  if  yet  you  go  on  a  little  longer.  Having  bought  you 
at  so  dear  a  rate  as  the  blood  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and 
made  you  so  free  and  general  a  promise  of  pardon,  and 
grace,  and  everlasting  glory ;  he  commandeth  us  to  ten- 
der all  this  to  you  as  the  gift  of  God,  and  to  entreat  you 
to  consider  the  necessity  and  worth  of  what  he  offers. 
He  sees  and  ^pities  you,  while  you  are  drowned  in  worldly 
cares  and  pleasures,  eagerly  following  childish  toys,  and 
wasting  that  short  and  precious  time  for  a  thing  of  naught, 
in  which  you  should  make  ready  for  an  everlasting  life  ; 
and  therefore  he  hath  commanded  us  to  call  after  you  and 
tell  you  how  you  lose  your  labor  and  are  about  to  lose 
your  souls,  and  tell  you  what  greater  and  better  things 
you  might  certainly  have  if  you  would  hearken  to  his  call. 
Isa.  55 : 1,  2,  3.  We  believe  and  obey  the  voice  of  God  ; 
and  come  to  you  on  his  message,  who  hath  charged  us  to 
preach,  and  be  instant  with  you  in  season  and  out  of  sea- 
son, to  lift  up  our  voice  like  a  trumpet,  and  show  you  your 
transgressions  and  your  sins.     Isa.  58 : 1 ;  2  Tim.  4:1,2. 

But,  alas !  to  the  grief  of  our  souls  and  your  undoing, 
you  stop  your  ears,  you  stiffen  your  necks,  you  harden 


PREFACE.  9 

your  hearts ;  and  send  us  back  to  God  with  groans,  to  tell 
him  that  we  have  done  his  message,  but  can  do  no  good 
to  you,  nor  scarcely  get  a  sober  hearing.  Oh  !  that  our 
eyes  were  as  a  fountain  of  tears,  that  we  might  lament 
our  ignorant  careless  people" that  have  Christ,  and  pardon, 
and  life,  and  heaven  before  them,  and  have  not  hearts  to 
know  or  value  them !  that  might  have  Christ,  and  grace, 
and  glory,  as  well  as  others,  if  it  were  not  for  their  wilful 
negligence  and  contempt !  O  that  the  Lord  would  fill  our 
hearts  with  more  compassion  to  these  miserable  souls, 
that  we  might  cast  ourselves  even  at  their  feet,  and  follow 
them  to  their  houses,  and  speak  to  them  with  our  bitter 
tears.  For  long  have  we  preached  to  many  of  them  in 
vain.  We  study  plainness,  to  make  them  understand,  and 
many  of  them  will  not  understand  us  ;  we  study  serious 
piercing  words,  to  make  them  feel,  but  they  will  not  feel. 
If  the  greatest  matters  would  work  with  them,  we  should 
awake  them  ;  if  the  sweetest  things  would  work,  we  should 
entice  them  and  win  their  hearts ;  if  the  most  dreadful 
things  would  work,  we  should  at  least  affright  them  from 
their  wickedness  ;  if  truth  and  sincerity  would  take  with 
them,  we  should  soon  convince  them;  if  the  God  that 
made  them,  and  Christ  that  bought  them,  might  be  heard, 
the  case  would  soon  be  altered  with  them ;  if  Scripture 
might  be  heard,  we  should  soon  prevail ;  if  reason,  even 
the  best  and  strongest  reason,  might  be  heard,  we  should 
not  doubt  but  we  should  speedily  convince  them ;  if  expe- 
rience might  be  heard,  even  their  own  experience  and  the 
experience  of  all  the  world,  the  matter  might  be  mended ; 
yea,  if  the  conscience  within  them  might  be  heard,  the  case 
would  be  better  with  them  than  it  is.  But  if  nothing  can 
be  heard,  what  then  shall  we  do  for  them  ?     If  the  dread- 


10  PREFACE. 

fill  God  of  heaven  be  slighted,  who  then  shall  br  regarded  ? 
If  the  inestimable  love  and  blood  of  a  Redeemer  be  made 
light  of,  what  then  shall  be  valued  ?  If  heaven  have  no 
desirable  glory  with  them,  and  everlasting  joys  be  nothing 
worth  ;  if  they  can  jest  at  hell,  and  dance  about  the  bot- 
tomless pit,  and  play  with  the  consuming  fire,  and  that 
when  God  and  man  warn  them  of  it,  what  shall  we  do  foi 
such  souls  as  these  ? 

Once  more,  in  the  name  of  the  God  of  heaven,  I  shall 
do  the  message  to  you  which  he  hath  commanded  us,  and 
leave  it  in  these  standing  lines  to  convert  you  or  condemn 
you ;  to  change  you,  or  rise  up  in  judgment  against  you, 
and  to  be  a  witness  to  your  faces  that  once  you  had  a 
serious  call  to  turn.  Hear,  all  you  that  are  drudges  of  the 
world  and  servants  of  the  flesh  and  Satan !  that  spend 
your  days  in  looking  after  prosperity  on  earth,  and  drown 
your  conscience  in  drinking,  and  gluttony,  and  idleness, 
and  foolish  sports  ;  and  know  your  sin,  and  yet  will  sin,  as 
if  you  set  God  at  defiance,  and  bade  him  do  his  worst  and 
spare  not!  Hearken,  all  you  that  mind  not  God,  and 
have  no  heart  to  holy  things,  and  feel  no  savor  in  the  word 
or  worship  of  the  Lord,  or  in  the  thoughts  or  mention  of 
eternal  life ;  that  are  careless  of  your  immortal  souls,  and 
never  bestow  one  hour  in  inquiring  what  case  they  are  in, 
whether  sanctified  or  unsanctified,  and  whether  you  are 
ready  to  appear  before  the  Lord  !  Hearken,  all  you  thai, 
by  sinning  in  light,  have  sinned  yourselves  into  infidelity, 
and  do  not  believe  the  word  of  God.  He  that  hath  an 
ear  to  hear,  let  him  hear  the  gracious  and  yet  dreadful 
ca.l  of  God !  His  eye  is  all  the  while  upon  you.  Your 
sins  are  registered,  and  you  shall  surely  hear  of  them 
again.     God  keepeth  tfr*  book  now  ;  and  he  will  write  it 


PKtiFALT.  11 

upon  your  consciences  with  his  terrors  ;  and  then  you  also 
shall  keep  it  yburselves  !  O  sinners,  that  you  but  knew 
what  you  are  doing,  and  whom  you  are  all  this  while 
offending !  The  sun  itself  is  darkness  before  the  glory 
of  that  Majesty  which  you  daily  abuse  and  carelessly  pro- 
voke. The  sinning  angels  were  not  able  to  stand  before 
aim,  but  were  cast  down  to  be  tormented  with  devils. 
And  dare  such  worms  as  you  so  carelessly  offend,  and  set 
yourselves  against  your  Maker !  O  that  you  did  but  a 
little  know  what  a  case  that  wretched  soul  is  in,  that  hath 
engaged  the  living  God  against  him !  The  word  of  his 
mouth  that  made  thee,  can  unmake  thee  ;  the  frown  of  his 
face  will  cut  thee  off  and  cast  thee  out  into  outer  darkness 
How  eager  are  the  devils  to  be  doing  with  thee,  that  have 
tempted  thee,  and  do  but  wait  for  the  word  from  God  to 
take  and  use  thee  as  their  own !  and  then  in  a  moment 
thou  wilt  be  in  hell.  If  God  be  agdinst  thee,  all  things 
are  against  thee :  this  world  is  but  tny  prison,  for  all  thou 
so  lovesf  it ;  thou  art  but  reserved  in  it  to  the  day  of  wrath, 
Job  21 :  30  ;  the  Judge  is  coming,  thy  soul  is  even  going. 
Yet  a  little  while,  and  thy  friend  shall  say  of  thee,  "  He  is 
dead ;"  and  thou  shalt  see  the  things  that  thou  now  dost 
despise,  and  feel  that  whfth  now  thou  wilt  not  believe. 
Death  will  bring  such  an  argument  as  thou  canst  not  an- 
swer ;  an  argument  that  shall  effectually  confute  thy  cavils 
against  the  word  and  ways  of  God.  And  then  how  soon 
will  thy  mind  be  changed !  Then  be  an  unbeliever  if  thou 
canst ;  stand  then  to  all  thy  former  words,  which  thou  wast 
wont  to  utter  against  a  holy  and  a  heavenly  life.  Make  good 
that  cause  then  before  the  Lord  which  tnou  wast  wont  to 
plead  against  thy  teachers,  and  against  the  people  that 
feared  God.     Then  stand  to  uty  old  opinions  and  con 


IS  PUFF  ACE. 

• 

temptuous  thoughts  of  the  diligence  of  the  saints :  make 
ready  now  thy  strong  reasons,  and  stand  up  then  before 
the  Judge  and  plead  like  a  man  for  thy  fleshly,  thy  worldly, 
thy  ungodly  life.  But  know  that  thou  wilt  have  One  to 
plead  with  that  will  not  be  outfaced  by  thee :  nor  so  easily 
put  off  as  we  thy  fellow-creatures. 

O  deceived,  wretched  souJ  !  there  is  nothing  but  a 
slender  veil  of  flesh  between  thee  and  that  amazing  sight, 
which  will  quickly  silence  thee,  and  turn  thy  tone,  and 
make  thee  of  another  mind !  As  soon  as  death  hath  drawn 
this  curtain,  thou  shalt  see  that  which  will  quickly  leave 
thee  speechless.  And  how  quickly  will  that  day  and  hour 
come  !  When  thou  hast  had  but  a  few  more  merry  hours, 
and  but  a  few  more  pleasant  draughts  and  morsels,  and  a 
little  more  of  the  honors  and  riches  of  the  world,  thy  por- 
tion will  be  spent,  and  thy  pleasures  ended,  and  all  is  then 
gone  that  thou  settest  thy  heart  upon:  of  all  that  thou 
soldest  thy  Saviour  and  salvation  for,  there  is  nothing  left 
but  the  heavy  reckoning.  As  a  thief,  that  sits  merrily 
spending  the  money  which  he  hath  stolen  in  an  alehouse, 
when  men  are  riding  in  posthaste  to  apprehend  him,  so  is 
it  with  you.  While  you  are  drowned  in  cares  of  fleshly 
pleasures,  and  making  merry  with  your  own  shame,  death 
is  coming  in  posthaste  to  seize  mpon  you,  and  carry  your 
60ul  to  such  a  place  and  state  as  now  you  little  know  or 
think  of.  Suppose,  when  you  are  bold  and  busy  in  your 
sin,  that  a  messenger  were  but  coming  posthaste  to  ap- 
prehend you  and  take  away  your  life ;  though  you  saw 
him  not,  yet  if  you  knew  that  he  was  coming,  it  would 
mar  your  mirth,  and  you  would  be  thinking  of  the  haste 
he  makes,  and  hearkening  when  he  knocked  at  your  door, 
O  that  you  could  but  see  what  haste  Death  makes,  though 


PREFACE.  •     J  3 

he  has  not  yet  overtaken  you !  No  post  so  swift  ;  no  mes- 
senger more  sure.  As  sure  as  the  sun  will  oe  with  you 
in  the  morning,  though  it  hath  many  thousand  and  hundred 
thousand  miles  to  go  in  the  night,  so  sure  will  Death  be 
quickly  with  you  ;  and  then  where  is  your  sport  and  pleas- 
ure ?  Then  will  you  jest  and  brave  it  out  ?  Then  will 
you  jeer  at  them  that  warned  you  ?  Then  is  it  better  to 
be  a  believing  saint,  or  a  sensual  worldling  ?  And  then 
whose  shall  all  these  things  be  that  you  have  gathered  ? 
Luke  12 :  19-21.  Do  you  not  observe  that  days  and  weeks 
are  quickly  gone,  and  nights  and  mornings  come  apace, 
and  speedily  succeed  each  other  ?  You  sleep,  but  your 
damnation  slumbereth  not ;  you  linger,  but  your  judgment 
this  long  time  lingereth  not,  to  which  you  are  reserved 
for  punishment.  2  Pet.  2 : 3-9.  O  that  you  were  wise  to 
understand  this,  and  that  you  did  consider  your  latter  end ! 
Deut.  32 :  29.  He  that  hath  an  ear  to  hear,  let  him  hear 
the  call  of  God  in  this  day  of  his  salvation. 

O  careless  sinners!  that  you  did  but  know  the  love 
that  you  unthankfully  neglect,  and  the  preciousness  of  the 
blood  of  Christ  which  you  despise  !  O  that  you  did  but 
know  the  riches  of  the  Gospel !  O  that  you  did  but  know 
a  little  the  certainty,  and  the  glory  and  blessedness  of  that 
everlasting  life,  which  now  you  will  not  set  your  hearts 
upon,  nor  be  persuaded  first  and  diligently  to  seek.  Heb. 
11:6,  and  12 :  28  ;  and  Matt.  6 :  13.  Did  you  but  know 
the  endless  life  with  God  which  you  now  neglect,  how 
quickly  would  you  cast  away  your  sin,  how  quickly  would 
you  change  your  mind  and  life,  your  course  and  company, 
and  turn  the  streams  of  your  affections,  and  lay  out  your 
care  another  way.  How  resolutely  would  you  scorn  to 
yield  to  such  temptations  as  now  deceive  you  and  carry 


14     *  PREFACE. 

you  away.  How  zealously  would  you  bestir  yourselves 
for  that  most  blessed  life.  How  earnest  would  you  be 
with  God  in  prayer.  How  diligent  in  hearing,  learning, 
and  inquiring.  How  serious  in  meditating  on  the  laws 
of  God.  Psa.  1 : 2.  How  fearful  of  sinning  in  thought, 
word,  or  deed ;  and  how  careful  to  please  God  and  grow 
in  holiness.  O  what  a  changed  people  you  would  be !  And 
why  should  not  the  certain  word  of  God  be  believed  by 
you,  and  prevail  with  you,  which  openetli  to  you  these 
glorious  and  eternal  things  ? 

Yea,  let  me  tell  you  that  even  here  on  earth  you  little 
know  the  difference  between  the  life  you  refuse  and  the 
life  you  choose.  The  sanctified  are  conversing  with  God 
when  you  dare  scarce  think  of  him,  and  when  you  are 
conversing  with  but  earth  and  flesh.  Their  conversation 
is  in  heaven,  when  you  are  utter  strangers  to  it,  and  your 
belly  is  your  god  and  you  are  minding  earthly  things. 
Phil.  3 :  18-20.  They  are  seeking  after  the  face  of  God, 
when  you  seek  for  nothing  higher  than  this  world.  They 
are  busily  laying  up  for  an  endless  life,  where  they  shall 
be  equal  with  the  angels,  Luke  20 :  36,  when  you  are 
taken  up  with  a  shadow  and  a  transitory  thing  of  naught. 
How  low  and  base  is  your  earthly,  fleshly,  sinful  life,  in 
comparison  of  the  noble  spiritual  life  of  true  believers. 
Many  a  time  have  I  looked  on  such  men  with  grief  and 
pity,  to  see  them  trudge  about  the  world,  and  spend  their 
lives,  and  care  and  labor  for  nothing  but  a  little  food  and 
raiment,  or  a  little  fading  pelf,  or  fleshly  pleasures,  or 
empty  honors,  as  if  they  had  no  higher  things  to  mind. 
What  difference  is  there  between  the  lives  of  these  men 
and  of  the  beasts  that  perish,  that  spend  their  time  in  work- 
ing, and  eating,  and  living  but  that  they  may  live  ?    They 


PREFACE.  15 

taste  not  the  inward  heavenly  pleasures  which  believers 
taste  and  live  upon.  I  had  rather  have  a  little  of  their 
comfort,  which  the  forethougnts  of  their  heavenly  inher- 
itance afford  them,  though  I  had  all  their  scorn  and  suf- 
fering with  it,  than  to  have  all  your  pleasures  and  treach- 
erous prosperity.  I  would  not  have  one  of  your  secret 
pangs  of  conscience,  and  dark  and  dreadful  thoughts  of 
death  and  the  life  to  come,  for  all  that  ever  the  world  hath 
done  for  you,  or  all  that  you  can  reasonably  hope  that  it 
should  do.  If  I  were  in  your  unconverted  carnal  state, 
and  knew  but  what  I  know,  and  believed  but  what  I  now 
believe,  methinks  my  life  would  be  a  foretaste  of  hell. 
How  oft  should  I  be  thinking  of  the  terrors  of  the  Lord, 
and  of  the  dismal  day  that  is  hastening  on !  Sure  death 
and  hell  would  be  still  before  me.  I  should  think  of  them 
by  day,  and  dream  of  them  by  night ;  I  should  lie  down 
in  fear,  and  rise  in  fear,  and  live  in  fear,  lest  death  should 
come  before  I  were  converted.  I  should  have  small  felic- 
ity in  any  thing  that  I  possessed,  and  little  pleasure  in 
any  company,  and  little  joy  in  any  tiling  in  the  world,  as 
long  as  I  knew  myself  to  be  under  the  curse  and  wrath 
of  God.  I  should  be  still  afraid  of  hearing  that  voice, 
"  Thou  fool,  this  night  shall  thy  soul  be  required  of  thee." 
Luke  12 :  20.  And  that  fearful  sentence  would  be  written 
upon  my  conscience,  "  There  is  no  peace,  saith  my  God, 
to  the  wicked."    Isa.  48 :  22  ;  57 :  21. 

O  poor  sinners !  It  is  a  more  joyful  life  than  this  that 
you  might  live  if  you  were  but  willing,  but  truly  willing 
to  hearken  to  Christ,  and  come  home  to  God.  You  might 
then  draw  near  to  God  with  boldness,  and  call  him  your 
Father,  and  comfortably  trust  him  with  your  souls  and 
bodies.      If  you  look  upon  the  promise?,  you  may  say, 


16  TREFACE. 

They  are  all  mine.  If  upon  the  curse,  you  may  say,  From 
this  I  am  delivered.  When  you  read  the  law,  you  may 
see  what  you  are  saved  from.  When  you  read  the  Gos- 
pel, you  may  see  him  that  redeemed  you,  and  see  the 
course  of  his  love,  and  holy  life,  and  sufferings,  and  trace 
him  in  his  temptations,  tears,  and  blood,  in  the  work  of 
your  salvation.  You  may  see  death  conquered  and  heaven 
opened,  and  your  resurrection  and  glorification  provided 
for  in  the  resurrection  and  glorification  of  your  Lord.  If 
you  look  on  the  saints,  you  may  say,  They  are  my  brethren 
and  companions.  If  on  the  unsanctified,  you  may  rejoice 
to  think  that  you  are  saved  from  that  state.  If  you  look 
upon  the  heavens,  the  sun,  and  moon,  and  stars  innumer- 
able, you  may  think  and  say,  My  Father's  face  is  infinitely 
more  glorious  ;  it  is  higher  matters  that  he  hath  prepared 
for  his  saints  ;  yonder  is  but  the  outward  court  of  heaven. 
The  blessedness  that  he  hath  promised  me  is  so  much 
higher,  that  flesh  and  blood  cannot  behold  it.  If  you  think 
of  the  grave,  you  may  remember  that  the  glorified  Spirit, 
a  living  Head,  and  a  loving  Father,  have  all  so  near  a 
relation  to  your  dust,  that  it  cannot  be  forgotten  or  neg- 
lected, but  will  more  certainly  revive  than  the  plants  and 
flowers  in  the  spring :  because  the  soul  is  still  alive,  which 
is  the  root  of  the  body ;  and  Christ  is  alive,  which  is  the 
root  of  both.  Even  death,  which  is  the  king  of  fears,  may 
be  remembered  and  entertained  with  joy,  as  being  the  day 
of  your  deliverance  from  the  remnant  of  sin  and  sorrow 
the  day  which  you  believed,  and  hoped,  and  waited  for, 
when  you  shall  see  the  blessed  things  which  you  had 
heard  of,  and  shall  find  by  present  joyful  experience  what 
it  was  to  choose  the  better  part,  and  .o  be  a  sincere  be- 
lieving saint    What  say  you,  sirs  ?    Is  not  this  a  more 


PREFACE.  17 

dtlightful  life,  to  be  assured  of  salvation  and  ready  to  die, 
than  to  live  as  the  ungodly,  that  have  their  hearts  over- 
charged with  surfeiting  and  drunkenness,  and  the  cares 
of  this  life,  and  so  that  day  comes  upon  them  unawares  ? 
Luke  21 :  34,  36.  Might  you  not  live  a  comfortable  life, 
if  once  you  were  made  the  heirs  of  heaven,  and  sure  to 
be  ^aved  when  you  leave  the  world  ?  O  look  about  you, 
then,  and  think  what  you  do,  and  cast  not  away  such  hopes 
as  these  for  very  nothing.  The  flesh  and  the  world  can 
give  you  no  such  hopes  or  comforts. 

I  have  but  three  requests  to  you,  and  I  have  done. 

1.  That  you  will  seriously  read  over  this  small  treatise, 
and  if  you  have  such  as  need  it  in  your  families,  that  you 
will  read  it  over  and  over  to  them ;  and  if  those  that  fear 
God  would  go  now  and  then  to  their  ignorant  neighbors, 
and  read  this  or  some  other  book  to  them  on  this  subject, 
they  might  be  a  means  of  winning  souls.  If  we  cannot 
entreat  so  small  a  labor  of  men  for  their  own  salvation  as 
to  read  such  short  instructions  as  these,  they  set  little  by 
themselves,  and  will  most  justly  perish. 

2.  When  you  have  read  over  this  book,  I  would  entreat 
you  to  go  alone  and  ponder  a  little  what  you  have  read, 
and  bethink  you,  as  in  the  sight  of  God,  whether  it  be  not 
true,  and  do  not  nearly  touch  your  souls,  and  whether  it 
be  not  time  to  look  about  you.  And  also  entreat  you,  that 
you  will  upon  your  knees  beseech  the  Lord  that  he  will 
open  your  eyes  to  understand  the  truth,  and  turn  your 
hearts  to  the  love  of  God,  and  beg  of  him  all  that  saving 
gro.cs  which  voir  have  so  long  neglected,  and  follow  it  on 
from  day  to  day,  till  your  hearts  be  changed.  And  withal, 
that  you  will  go  to  your  pastors — that  are  set  over  you  to 
take  care  of  the  health  and  safety  of  your  souls,  as  phy- 

B.Call.  2 


18  TRKFACE. 

sicians  do  for  the  health  of  your  bodies — and  desire  thero 
to  direct  you  what  course  to  take,  and  acquaint  them  with 
your  spiritual  state,  that  you  may  have  the  benefit  of  their 
advice  and  ministerial  help. 

If  you  have  not  a  faithful  pastor  at  home,  make  use  of 
some  other  in  so  great  a  need. 

3.  When,  by  reading,  consideration,  prayer,  and  minis- 
terial advice,  you  are  once  acquainted  with  your  sin  and 
misery,  with  your  duty  and  remedy,  delay  not,  but  pres 
ently  forsake  your  sinful  company  and  courses,  and  turn 
to  God  and  obey  his  call.  As  you  love  your  souls,  take 
heed  that  you  go  not  on  against  so  loud  a  call  of  God, 
and  against  your  own  knowledge  and  conscience,  lest  it 
go  worse  with  you  in  the  day  of  judgment  than  with  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah.  Inquire  of  God,  as  a  man  that  is  willing 
to  know  the  truth,  and  not  be  a  wilful  cheater  of  his  soul. 
Search  the  holy  Scriptures  daily,  and  see  whether  thQse 
things  be  so :  try  impartially  whether  it  be  safer  to  trust 
heaven  or  earth,  and  whether  it  be  better  to  follow  God  or 
man,  the  Spirit  or  the  flesh,  better  to  live  in  holiness  or 
sin,  and  whether  an  unsanctified  state  be  safe  for  you  to 
abide  in  one  day  longer ;  and  when  you  have  found  out 
which  is  best,  resolve  accordingly,  and  make  your  choice 
without  any  more  ado.  If  you  will  be  true  to  your  own 
souls,  and  do  not  love  everlasting  torments,  I  beseech  you, 
as  from  the  Lord,  that  you  will  but  take  this  reasonable 
advice.  Then  at  your  deathbed  how  boldly  might  we 
comfort  and  encourage  your  departing  souls!  And  at 
your  burial,  how  comfortably  might  we  leave  you  in  the 
grave,  in  expectation  to  meet  your  souls  in  heaven,  and  to 
see  your  bodies  raised  to  that  glory ! 

But,  if  still  the  most  of  you  will  go  on  in  sk  careleas», 


PREFACE.  If) 

ignorant,  fleshly,  worldly  or  unholy  life,  and  all  our  de- 
sires and  .abors  cannot  so  far  prevail  as  to  keep  you  from 
the  wilful  damning  of  yourselves,  we  must  then  imitate 
our  Lord,  who  delighteth  himself  in  those  few  that  are 
jewels,  and  in  a  little  flock  that  shall  receive  the  kingdom, 
when  the  most  shall  reap  the  misery  which  they  sowed. 
In  nature,  excellent  things  are  few.  The  world  hath  not 
many  suns  or  moons ;  it  is  but  a  little  of  the  earth  that  is 
gold  or  silver.  Princes  and  nobles  are  but  a  small  part 
of  the  sons  of  men :  it  is  no  great  number  that  are  learned, 
judicious,  or  wise,  here  in  this  world.  And,  therefore,  if 
the  gate  being  strait  and  very  narrow,  there  be  but  few 
that  find  salvation,  yet  God  will  have  his  glory  and  pleas- 
ure in  those  few.  And  when  Christ  shall  come  with  his 
mighty  angels  in  flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance  on  them 
that  know  not  God,  and  obey  not  the  Gospel  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  his  coming  will  be  glorified  in  his  saints,  and 
admired  in  all  true  believers.    2  Thess.  1 :  7-10. 

And  for  the  rest,  as  God  the  Father  vouchsafed  to  cre- 
ate them,  and  God  the  Son  disdained  not  to  bear  the  pen- 
alty of  their  sins  upon  the  cross,  and  did  not  judge  such 
sufferings  vain,  though  he  knew  that  by  refusing  the  sanc- 
tification  of  the  Holy  Ghost  they  would  finally  destroy 
themselves,  so  we,  that  are  his  ministers,  though  these  be 
not  gathered,  judge  not  our  labor  wholly  lost.  See  Isa. 
49:5. 

Reader,  I  have  done  with  thee,  when  thou  hast  perused 
this  book,  but  sin  hath  not  yet  done  with  thee,  even  those 
that  thou  thoughtest  had  been  forgotten  long  ago ;  and 
Satan  hath  not  yet  done  with  thee,  though  now  he  be  out 
of  sight ;  and  God  hath  not  yet  done  with  thee,  because 
thou  wilt  not  be  persuaded  to  have  done  with  deadly 


20  PREFACE. 

reigning  sin.  I  have  written  thee  this  persuasive,  as  cne 
that  is  going  into  another  world,  where  the  things  are 
seen  that  I  here  speak  of,  and  as  one  that  knoweth  thou 
must  be  shortly  there  thyself.  As  ever  thou  wilt  meet  me 
with  comfort  before  the  Lord  that  made  us ;  as  ever  thou 
wilt  escape  the  everlasting  plagues  prepared  for  the  final 
neglecters  of  salvation,  and  for  all  that  are  not  sanctified 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  love  not  the  communion  of  the 
saints  as  members  of  the  holy  catholic  church ;  and  as 
ever  thou  hopest  to  see  the  face  of  Christ  the  Judge,  and 
of  the  majesty  of  the  Father,  with  peace  and  comfort,  and 
to  be  received  into  glory  when  thou  art  turned  naked  out 
of  this  world ;  T  beseech  thee,  I  charge  thee,  to  hear  and 
obey  the  call  of  God,  and  resolvedly  to  turn,  that  thou 
may  est  live.  But,  if  thou  wilt- not,  even  when  thou  hast 
no  true  reason  for  it  but  because  thou  wilt  not,  I  summon 
thee  to  answer  it  before  the  Lord,  and  require  thee  there 
to  bear  me  witness  that  I  gave  thee  warning,  and  that 
thou  wast  not  condemned  for  want  of  a  call  to  turn  and 
live, but  because  thou  wouldst  not  believe  it,  and  obey  it: 
which  also  must  be  the  testimony  c  f  thy  serious  monitor, 

RICHARD  BAXTER. 
December  11, 1657 


A   CALL 

TO 

THE   UNCONVERTED 


Say  unto  them,  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  have  no  pleas- 
ure in  the  death  of  the  wicked  ;  but  that '  the  wicked  turn 
from  his  way  and  live  :  turn  ye,  turn  ye  from  your  evil 
ways;  for  why  will' ye  die,  0  house  of  Israel?  Ezejciel 
33:11. 

It  hath  been  the  astonishing  wonder  of  many  a 
man  as  well  as  me,  to  read  in  the  floly  Scripture 
how  few  will  be  saved,  and  that  the  greatest  part 
even  of  those  that  are  called,  will  be  everlastingly 
shut  out  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  be  tormented 
with  the  devils  in  eternal  fire.  Infidels  believe  not 
this  when  they  read  it,  and  therefore  they  must  feel 
it :  those  that  do  believe  it  are  forced  to  cry  out  with 
Paul,  "  0  the  depth  of  the  riches  both  of  the  wis- 
dom and  knowledge  of  God !  How  unsearchable 
are  his  judgments,  and  nis  ways  past  finding  out!" 
.Rom.  11 :  33.  But  nature  itself  doth  teach  us  all 
to  lay  the  blame  of  evil  works  upon  the  doers ;  and 
therefore  when  we  see  any  heinous  thing  done,  a 
principle  of  justice  doth  provoke  us  to  inquire  aftei 


22  A    CALL   TO 

him  that  did  it,  that  the  evil  of  the  work  may  return 
the  evil  of  shame  upon  the  author.  If  we  saw  a 
man  killed  and  cut  in  pieces  by  the  way,  we  should 
presently  ask,  Oh !  who  did  this  cruel  deed  ?  If  the 
town  was  wilfully  set  on  fire,  you  would  ask,  What 
wicked  wretch  did  this?  So  when  we  read  that 
many  souls  will  be  miserable  in  hell  for  ever,  we 
must  needs  think  with  ourselves,  How  comes  this  to 
pass  ?  and  whose  fault  is  it  ?  Who  is  it  that  is  so 
cruel  as  to  be  the  cause  of  such  a  thing  as  this  ?  and 
we  can  meet  with  few  that  will  own  the  guilt.  It  is 
indeed  confessed  by  all,  that  Satan  is  the  cause  ;  but 
that  doth  not  resolve  the  doubt,  because  he  is  not  the 
principal  cause.  He  doth  not  force  men  to  sin,  but 
tempts  them  to  it,  and  leaves  it  to  their  own  wills 
whether  they  «rill  do  it  or  not.  He  doth  not  carry 
men  to  an  alehouse  and  force  open  their  mouths  and 
pour  in  the  drink ;  nor  doth  he  hold  them  that  they 
cannot  go  to  God's  service ;  nor  doth  he  force  their 
hearts  from  holy  thoughts.  It  lieth  therefore  be- 
tween God  himself,  and  the  sinner;  one  of  them 
must  needs  be  the  principal  cause  of  all  this  misery, 
whichever  it  is,  for  there  is  no  other  to  lay  it  upon  ; 
and  God  disclaimeth  it,  he  will  not  take  it  upon  him  ; 
and  the  wicked  disclaim  it  tisually,  and  they  will  not 
take  it  upon  them,  and  -  this  is  the  controversy  that 
is  here  managing  in  my  text. 

The  Lord  complaineth  of  the  people ;    and  the 
people  think  it  is  the  fault  of  God.     The  same  con- 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  "Z \ 

tioversy  is  handled,  chap.  18  :  25  ;  they  plainly  say, 
"that  the  way  of  the  Lord  is  not  equal."  So  here 
they  say,  verse  19,  "If  our  transgressions  and  our 
sins  be  upon  us,  and  we  pine  away  in  them,  how 
shall  we  then  live?"  As  if  they  should  say,  If  we 
must  die  and  be  miserable,  how  can  we  help  it  ?  as 
if  it  were  not  their  fault,  but  God's.  But  God,  in 
my  text,  doth  clear  himself  of  it,  and  telleth  them 
how  they  may  help  it  if  they  will,  and  persuadeth 
them  to  use  the  means,  and  if  they  will  not  be  per- 
suaded, he  lets  them  know  that  it  is  the  fault  of 
themselves  ;  and  if  this  will  not  satisfy  them,  he  will 
not  forbear  to  punish  them.  It  is  he  that  will  be 
the  Judge,  and  he  will  judge  them  according  to  their 
ways ;  they  are  no  judges  of  him  or  of  themselves, 
they  want  authority,  and  wisdom,  and  impartiality ; 
nor  is  it  their  cavilling  and  quarrelling  with  God  that 
shall  serve  their  turn,  or  save  them  from  the  execu- 
tion of  that  justice  at  which  they  murmur. 

The  words  of  this  verse  contain,  1.  God's  clearing 
himself  from  the  blame  of  their  destruction.  This 
he  doth  not  by  disowning  his  law  that  the  wicked 
shall  die,  nor  by  disowning  his  judgment  and  execu- 
tion according  to  that  law,  or  giving  them  any  hope 
that  the  law  shall  not  be  executed ;  but  by  profess- 
ing that  it  is  not  their  death  that  he  takes  pleasure  in, 
but  their  returning  rather,  that  they  may  live ;  and 
this  he  confirmeth  to  them  by  his  oath.  2.  An  ex- 
press exhortation  to  the  wicked  to  return ;  wherein 


<24  A   CALL  TO 

God  doth  not  only  command,  but  persuade  and  con- 
descend also  to  reason  the  case  with  them.  Why 
wiil  they  die  ?  The  direct  end  of  this  exhortation 
is,  that  they  may  turn  and  live.  The  secondary  02 
reserved  ends,  upon  the  supposition  that  this  is  not 
attained,  are  these  two :  1.  To  convince  them  by  the 
means  which  he  used,  that  it  is  not  the  fault  of  God 
if  they  are  miserable.  2.  To  convince  them,  from 
their  manifest  wilfulness  in  rejecting  all  his  com- 
mands and  persuasions,  that  it  is  the  fault  of  them- 
selves, and  that  they  die,  even  because  they  will  die. 

The  substance  of  the  text  doth  lie  in  these  ob- 
servations following : 

Doctrine  1.  It  is  the  unchangeable  law  of  God, 
that  wicked  men  must  turn  or  die. 

Doctrine  2.  It  is  the  promise  of  God,  that  the 
wdcked  shall  live,  if  they  will  but  turn. 

Doctrine  3.  God  takes  pleasure  in  men's  conver- 
sion and  salvation,  but  not  in  their  death  or  damna- 
tion :  he  had  rather  they  would  return  and  live,  than 
go  on  and  die. 

Doctrine  4.  This  is  a  most  certain  truth,  which, 
because  God  would  not  have  men  to  question,  he 
hath  confirmed  it  to  them  solemnly  by  his  oath. 

Doctrine  5.  The  Lord  doth  redouble  his  com- 
mands and  persuasions  to  the  wicked  to  turn. 

Doctrine  6.  The  Lord  condescendeth  to  reason 
the  case  with  them ;  and  asketh  the  wicked  why 
they  will  die  ? 


THE   UNCONVERTED.  2o 

Doctrine  7.  If  after  all  this  the  wicked  will  not 
turn,  it  is  not  the  fault  of  God  that  they  perish,  but  of 
themselves ;  their  own  wilfulness  is  the  cause  of  their 
damnation ;  they  therefore  die  because  they  will  die. 

Having  laid  open  the  text  in  these  propositions,  I 
shall  next  speak  somewhat  of  each  of  them  in  order, 
though  briefly. 


DOCTRINE  I. 

It  is  the  unchangeable  Law  of  God,  that  wicked  men  must 
turn  or  die. 

If  you  will  believe  God,  believe  this :  there  is 
but  one  of  these  two  ways  for  every  wicked  man, 
either  conversion  or  damnation.  I  know  the  wicked 
will  hardly  be  persuaded  either  of  the  truth  or  equity 
of  this.  No  wonder  if  the  guilty  quarrel  with  the 
law.  Few  men  are  apt  to  believe  that  which  they 
would  not  have  to  be  true,  and  fewer  would  have 
that  to  be  true  which  they  apprehend  to  be  against 
them.  But  it  is  not  quarrelling  with  the  law,  or 
with  the  judge,  that  will  save  the  malefactor.  Be- 
lieving and  regarding  the  law  might  have  prevented 
his  death;  but  denying  and  accusing  it  will  but 
hasten  it.  If  it  were  not  so,  a  hundred  would  bring 
their  reason  against  the  law,  for  one  that  would  bring 
his  reason  to  the  law,  and  men  would  rather  choose 
to  give  their  reasons  why  they  should  not  be  pun- 


26  A   CALL  TO 

ished,  than  to  r.ear  the  commands  and  reasons  of 
their  governors  which  require  them  to  obey.  The 
law  was  not  ma4e  for  you  to  judge,  but  that  you 
might  be  ruled  and  judged  by  it. 

But  if  there  be  any  so  blind  as  to  venture  to  ques- 
tion either  the  truth  or  the  justice  of  this  law  of  God, 
I  shall  briefly  give  you  that  evidence  of  both  which 
methinks  should  satisfy  a  reasonable  man.     And, 

I.  If  you  doubt  whether  this  be  the  word  of  God 
or  not,  besides  a  hundred  other  texts,  you  may  be 
satisfied  by  these  few :  Matt.  18:3.  "  Verily,  I  say 
unto  you,  except  ye  be  converted,  and  become  as 
little  children,  ye  shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom 
of  heaven."  John  3:3.  "Verily,  verily,  I  say 
unto  thee,  except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot 
see  the  kingdom  of  God."  2  Cor.  5:17.  "If  any 
man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature :  old  things 
are  passed  away;  behold,  all  things  are  become 
new."  Col.  3  :  9,  10.  "Ye  have  put  off  the  old 
man  with  his  deeds,  and  have  put  on  the  new  man, 
which  is  renewed  in  knowledge  after  the  image  of 
him  that  created  him."  Heb.  12:14.  "Without 
holiness  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord."  Rom.  8  :  8,  9. 
"  So  then  they  that  are  in  the  flesh  cannot  please 
God.  Now,  if  any  man  have  not  the  spirit  of  Christ, 
he  is  none  of  his."  Gal.  6:15.  "l^'or  in  Christ 
Jesus  neither  circumcision  availeth  any  thing,  nor 
uncircumcision,  but  a  new  creature."  1  Pet.  1 :  3. 
"  According  to  his  abundant  mercy,  he  hath  begotten 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  27 

as  to  a  lively  hope."  Ver.  23.  "  Being  born  again, 
not  of  corruptible  seed,  but  of  incorruptible,  by  the 
word  of  God,  which  liveth  and  abideth  for  ever.'* 
1  Pet.  2:1,2.  "  Wherefore,  laying  aside  all  malice, 
and  all  guile,  and  hypocrisies  and  envies,  and  all 
evil  speakings,  as  new-born  babes,  desire  the  sincere 
milk  of  the  word,  that  ye  may  grow  thereby."  Psa. 
9  :  17.  "The  wicked  shall  be  turned  into  hell,  and 
all  the  nations  that  forget  God."  Psa.  11:5.  "  And 
the  Lord  trieth  the  righteous,  but  the  wicked  his  soul 
.hateth." 

As  I  need  not  stay  to  open  these  texts  which  are 
so  plain,  so  I  think  I  need  not  add  any  more  of  that 
multitude  which  speak  the  like.  If  thou  be  a  man 
that  dost  believe  the  word  of  God,  here  is  already 
enough  to  satisfy  thee  that  the  wicked  must  be  con- 
verted or  condemned.  You  are  already  brought  so 
far  that  you  must  either  confess  that  this  is  true,  or 
say  plainly,  you  will  not  believe  the  word  of  God. 
And  if  once  you  come  to  that  pass  there  is  but 
small  hope  of  you :  look  to  yourself  as  well  as  you 
can,  for  it  is  likely  you  will  not  be  long  out  of  hell. 
You  would  be  ready  to  fly  in  the  face  of  him  that 
should  give  you  the  lie ;  and  yet  dare  you  give  the 
lie  to  God  ?  But  if  you  tell  God  plainly  you  will 
not  believe  him,  blame  him  not  if  he  never  warn  you 
more,  or  if  he  forsake  you,  and  give  you  up  as  hope- 
less ;  for  to  what  purpose  should  he  warn  you,  if  you 
will  not  believe  him  ?     Should  he  send  an  angel  from 


28  A   CALL   TO 

lieaven  to  you,  it  seems  you  would  not  believe.  For 
an  angel  can  speak  but  the  wgrd  of  God ;  and  if  an 
angel  should  bring  jou  any  other  gospel,  you  are 
not  to  receive  it,  but  to  hold  him  accursed.  Gal.  1 :  8. 
And  surely,  there  is  no  angel  to  be  believed  before 
the  Son  of  God,  who  came  from  the  Father  to  bring 
us  this  doctrine.  If  he  be  not  to  be  believed,  then 
all  the  angels  in  heaven  are  not  to  be  believed.  And 
if  you  stand  on  these  terms  with  God,  I  shall  leave 
you  till  he  deal  with  you  in  a  more  convincing  way. 
God  hath  a  voice  that  will  make  you  hear.  Though 
he  entreat  you  to  hear  the  voice  of  his  Gospel,  he 
will  make  you  hear  the  voice  of  his  condemning  sen- 
tence, without  entreaty.  We  cannot  make  you  be- 
lieve against  your  wills ;  but  God  will  make  you  feel 
against  your  wills. 

But  let  us  hear  what  reason  you  have  why  you 
will  not  believe  this  word  of  God,  which  tells  us 
that  the  wicked  must  be  converted,  or  condemned. 
I  know  your  reason  ;  it  is  because  you  judge  it  un- 
likely that  God  should  be  so  unmerciful :  you  think 
it  cruelty  to  damn  men  everlastingly  for  so  small  a 
thing  as  a  sinful  life.     And  this  leads  us, 

II.  To  justify  the  equity  of  God  in  his  laws  and 
judgments. 

1.  I  think  you  will  not  deny  that  it  is  most  suit- 
able to  an  immortal  soul  to  be  ruled  by  laws  that 
promise  an  immortal  reward,  and  threaten  an.  end- 


THE    UN  CON  V  ERTEJ).  2i) 

less  punishment.  Otherwise  the  law  would  not  be 
suited  to  the  nature  of  the  subject,  who  will  not  be 
fully  ruled  by  any  lower  means  than  the  hopes  or 
fears  of  everlasting  things :  as  it  is  in  cases  of  tem- 
poral punishment,  if  a  iaw  were  now  made  that  the 
most  heinous  crimes  should  be  punished  with  a  hun- 
dred years'  captivity,  this  might  be  of  some  efficacy, 
as  being  equal  to  our  lives.  But,  if  there  had  been 
no  other  penalties  before  the  flood,  when  men  lived 
eight  or  nine  hundred  years,  it  would  not  have  been 
sufficient,  because  men  would  know  that  they  might 
have  so  many  hundred  years'  impunity  afterwards, 
So  it  is  in  our  present  case. 

2.  I  suppose  that  you  will  confess  that  the  prom- 
ise of  an  endless  and  inconceivable  glory  is  not  un- 
suitable to  the  wisdom  of  God  or  the  case  of  man; 
and  Why  then  should  you  not  think  so  of  the  threat- 
ening of  an  endless  and  unspeakable  misery  ?        \ 

3.  When  you  find  it  in  the  word  of  God  that  so 
it  is,  and  so  it  will  be,  do  you  think  yourselves  fit  to 
contradict  this  word  ?  Will  you  call  your  Maker  to 
the  bar,  and  examine  his  word  upon  the  accusation 
of  falsehood  ?  Will  you  sit  upon  him  and  judge  him 
by  the  law  of  your  conceits  ?  Are  you  wiser,  and 
better,  and  more  righteous  than  he  ?  Must  the  God 
of  heaven  come  to  school  to  you  to  learn  wisdom  ? 
Must  Infini-te  Wisdom  learn  of  folly,  and  Infinite 
Goodness  be  corrected  by  a  sinner  that  cannot  keep 
himself  an  hour  clean  ?     Must  the  Almighty  stand 


30  ACALL  TO 

at  the  bar  of  a  worm  ?  0  horrid  arrogancy  of  sense- 
less dust !  Shall  a  mole,  or  clod,  or  dunghill,  accuse 
the  sun  of  darkness,  and  undertake  to  illuminate  the 
world  ?  Where  were  you  when  the  Almighty  made 
the  laws,  that  he  did  not  call  you  to  his  counsel  ? 
Surely,  he  made  them  before  you  were  born,  without 
desiring  your  advice ;  and  you  came  into  the  world 
too  late  to  reverse  them,  if  you  could  have  done  so 
great  a  work.  You  should  have  stepped  out  of  your 
nothingness  and  have  contradicted  Christ  when  he 
was  on  earth,  or  Moses  before  him,  or  have  saved 
Adam  and  his  sinful  progeny  from  the  threatened 
death,  that  so  there  might  have  been  no  need  of 
Christ.  And  what  if  God  withdraw  his  patience 
and  sustaining  power,  and  let  you  drop  into  hell 
while  you  are  quarrelling  with  his  word,  will  you 
then  believe  that  there  is  a  hell  ? 

4.  If  sin  be  such  an  evil  that  it  require th  the  death 
of  Christ  for  its  expiation,  no  wonder  if  it  deserve 
our  everlasting  misery. 

5.  And  if  the  sin  of  devils>  deserve  an  endless  tor- 
ment, why  not  also  the  sin  of  man  ? 

6.  And  methinks  you  should  perceive  that  it  is 
not  possible  for  the  best  of  men,  much  less  for  the 
wicked,  to  be  competent  judges  of  the  desert  of  sin. 
Alas  !  we  are  both  blind  and  partial.  You  can  never 
know  fully  the  desert  of  sin,  till  you  fully  know  the 
evil  of  sin ;  and  you  can  never  fully  know  the  evil 
of  sin,  till  you  fully  know,  1.  The  excellency  of  the 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  31 

soul  which  it  deformeth..  2.  The  excellency  of  ho- 
liness which  it  obliterates.  3.  The  reason  and  ex-. 
cellency  of  the  law  which  it  violates.  4.  The  ex- 
cellency of  the  glory  which  it  despises.  .  5.  The 
excellency  and  office  of  reason  which  it  treadeth 
down.  6.  No,  nor  till  you  know  the  infinite  excel- 
lency, almightiness,  and  holiness  of  that  God  against 
whom  it  is  committed.  When  you  fully  know  all 
these,  you  shall  fully  know  the  desert  of  sin.  Be- 
sides, you  know  that  the  offender  is  too  partial  to 
judge  the  law  or  the  proceedings  of  his  judge.  We 
judge  by  feeling,  which  blinds  our  reason.  We  see, 
in  common  worldly  things,  that  most  men  think  the 
cause  is  right  which  is  their  own,  and  that  all  is 
wrong  that  is  done  against  them ;  and  let  the  most 
wise,  or  just,  or  impartial  friends  persuade  them  to 
the  contrary,  and  it  is  all  in  vain.  There  are  few 
children  but  think  the  father  is  unmerciful,  or  deal- 
eth  hardly  with  them,  if  he  whip  them.  There  is 
scarce  the  vilest  wretch  but  thinketh  the  church  doth 
wrong  him  if  they  excommunicate  him ;  or  scarce  a 
thief  or  murderer  that  is  hanged,  but  would  accuse 
the  law  and  judge  of  cruelty,  if  that  would  serve 
their  turn. 

1.  Can  you  think  that  unholy  souls  are  fit  fcr 
heaven  ?  Alas,  they  cannot  love  God  here,  nor  do 
him  any  service  which  he  can  accept.  They  are 
contrary  to  God,  they  loathe  that  which  he  most 
loveth,  and  love  that  which  he  abhorreth.     They  are 


32  A  CALL  TO 

Incapable  of  that  imperfect  communion  with  him 
which  his  saints  here  partake  of.  How  then  can 
they  live  in  that  perfect  love  of  him,  and  full  delight 
and  communion  with  him,  which  is  the  blessedness 
of  heaven  ?  You  do  npt  accuse  yourselves  of  un- 
raei  cifulness  if  you  make  not  your  enemy  your  bosom 
counsellor ;  or  if  you  take  not  your  swine  to  bed  and 
board  with  you ;  no,  nor  if  you  take  away  his  life, 
though  he  never  sinned  ;  and  yet  you  will  blame  the 
absolute  Lord,  the  most  wise  and  gracious  Sovereign 
of  the  world,  if  he  condemn  the  unconverted  to  per- 
petual misery. 

I  beseech  you  now,  all  that  love  your  souls,  that, 
instead  of  quarrelling  with  God  and  with  his  word, 
you  will  presently  receive  it,  and  use  it  for  your 
good.  All  you  that  are  yet  unconverted,  take  this 
as  the  undoubted  truth  of  God  :  You  must,  ere  long, 
be  converted  or  condemned ;  there  is  no  other  way 
but  to  turn,  or  die.  When  God,  that  cannot  lie, 
hath  told  you  this  ;  when  you  hear  it  from  the  Maker 
and  Judge  of  the  world,  it  is  time  for  him  that  hath 
ears  to  hear.  By  this  time  you  may  see  what  you 
have  to  trust  to.  You  are  but  dead  and  damned 
men,  except  you  will  be  converted.  Should  I  tell 
you  otherwise,  I  should  deceive  you  with  a  lie. 
Should  I  hide  this  from  you,  I  should  undo  you,  and 
be  guilty  of  your  blood,  as  the  verses  before  my  text 
assure  me.  Verse  8  :  "  When  I  say  to  the  wicked 
man,  0  wicked  man,  thou  shalt  surely  die ;  if  thou 


T HE   C  NCONVERTED.  33 

dost  not  speak  to  warn  the  wicked  from  his  way, 
tli at  wicked  man  shall  die  in  his  iniquity ;  but  his 
blood  will  I  require  at  thine  hand."  You  see,  then, 
though  this  be  a  rough  and  unwelcome  doctrine,  it 
is  such  as  we  must  preach,  and  you  must  hear.  It 
is  easier  to  hear  of  hell  than  to  feel  it.  If  your  ne- 
cessities did  not  require  it,  we  would  not  gall  your 
tender  ears  with  truths  that  seem  so  harsh  and  griev- 
ous. Hell  would  not  be  so  full,  if  people  were  but 
willing  to  know  their  case,  and  to  hear  and  think 
of  it.  The  reason  why  so  few  escape  it,  is  because 
they  strive  not  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate  of  con- 
version, and  go  the  narrow  way  of  holiness  while 
they  have  time ;  and  they  strive  not,  because  they 
are  not  awakened  to  a  lively  feeling  of  the  danger 
they  are  in  ;  and  they  are  not  awakened,  because 
they  are  loth  to  hear  or  think  of  it ;  and  that  is 
partly  through  foolish  tenderness  and  carnal  self- 
love,  and  partly  because  they  ck)  not  well  believe  the 
word  that  threateneth  it.  If  you  will  not  thoroughly 
believe  this  truth,  methinks  the  weight  of  it  should 
force  you  to  remember  it,  and  it  should  follow  you, 
and  give  you  no  rest  till  you  are  converted.  If  you 
had  but  once  heard  this  word  by  the  voice  of  an 
angel,  "  Thou  must  be  converted  or  condemned  • 
turn,  or  die ;"  would  it  not  sink  into  your  mind,  and 
haunt  you  night  and  day  ?  so  that  in  your  sinning 
you  would  remember  it,  as  if  the  voice  were  still  in 
your  ears,  "Turn,  or  die!"     O  happy  were  your 

B.  C.mi  3 


3-1  ACALLTO 

soul  if  it  might  thus  work  with  you,  and  never  be 
forgotten  or  let  you  alone  till  it  have  driven  home 
your  heart  to  God.  But  if  you  will  cast  it  out  by 
forgetfulness  or  unbelief,  how  can  it  work  to  your 
conversion  and  salvation  ?  But  take  this  with  you 
to  your  sorrow,  though  you  may  put  this  out  of  your 
mind  you  cannot  put  it  out  of  the  Bible,  but  there 
it  will  stand  as  a  sealed  truth,  which  you  shall  ex- 
perimentally know  for  ever,  that  there  is  no  other 
way  but  "  turn,  or  die/ ' 

0  what  is  the  matter,  then,  that  the  hearts  of  sin- 
ners are  not  pierced  with  such  a  weighty  truth  ?  A 
man  would  think  now,  that  every  unconverted  soul 
that  hears  these  words  should  be  pricked  to  the 
heart,  and  think  with  himself,  "  This  is  my  own 
case/'  and  never  be  quiet  till  he  found  himself  con- 
verted. Believe  it,  this  drowsy,  careless  temper  will 
not  last  long.  Conversion  and  condemnation  are 
both  of  them  awakening  things,  and  one  of  them  will 
make  you  feel  ere  long.  I  can  foretell  it  as  truly  as 
if  I  saw  it  with  my  eyes,  that  either  grace  or  hel/ 
will  shortly  bring  these  matters  to  the  point,  and 
make  you  say,  "  What  have  I  done  ?  what  a  foolish 
wicked  course  have  I  taken?"  The  scornful  and 
the  stupid  state  of  sinners  will  last  but  a  little  while : 
as  soon  as  they  either  turn  or  die,  the  presumptuous 
dream  will  be  at  an  end,  and  then  their  senses  and 
feeling  will  return. 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  T55 

But  I  foresee  there  are  two  things  that  are  likely 
to  harden  the  unconverted  and  make  me  lose  all  my 
labor,  unless  they  can  be  taken  out  of  the  way , 
namely,  the  misunderstanding  of  those  two  words, 
the  wicked  and  turn.  Some  will  think  with  them- 
selves, "It  is  true,  the  wicked  must  turn  or  die ; 
but  what  is  that  to  me,  I  am  not  wicked,  though  I 
am  a  sinner  as  all  men  are."  Others  will  think,  "It 
is  true  that  we  must  turn  from  our  evil  ways,  but 
I  am  turned  long  ago  ;  I  hope  this  is  not  now  to 
do."  And  thus  while  wicked  men  think  they  are 
not  wicked,  but  are  already  converted,  we  lose  all 
our  labor  in  persuading  them  to  turn.  I  shall  there- 
fore, before  I  go  any  further,  tell  you  here  who  are 
meant  by  the  wicked,  or  who  they  are  that  must  turn 
or  die  ;  and  also  what  is  meant  by  turning,  or  who 
they  are  that  are  truly  converted.  And  this  I  have 
purposely  reserved  for  this  place,  preferring  the 
method  that  fits  my  end.     And 

I.  Here  you  may  observe,  that  in  the  sense  of  the 
text  a  wicked  man  and  a  converted  man  are  con- 
traries :  no  man  is  a  wicked  man  that  is  converted  ; 
and  no  man  is  a  converted  man  that  is  wicked ;  so 
that  to  be  a  wicked  man  and  to  be  an  unconverted 
man  is  all  one ;  and  therefore  in  dealing  with  one  we 
Bhall  deal  with  both. 

Before  I  can  tell  you  what  either  wickedness  01 
conversion  is,  I  must  go  to  the  bottom  and  take  up 
the  matter  from  the  beinnninor. 


36  A    CALL  TO 

It  pleased  the  great  Creator  of  the  world  to  make 
three  sorts  of  living  creatures.  Angels  he  made  pure 
spirits  without  flesh,  and  therefore  he  made  them 
only  for  heaven,  and  not  to  dwell  on  earth.  Brutes 
were  made  flesh  without  immortal  souls,  and  there- 
fore they  were  made  only  for  earth,  and  not  for 
heaven.  Man  is  of  a  middle  nature,  between  both, 
as  partaking  of  both  flesh  and  spirit,  and  therefore 
he  was  made  both  for  heaven  and  earth.  But  as 
his  flesh  is  made  to  be  but  a  servant  to  his  spirit,  so 
is  he  made  for  earth  but  as  his  passage  or  way  to 
heaven,  and  not  that  this  should  be  his  home  or 
happiness.  The  blessed  state  that  man  was  made 
for,  was  to  behold  the  glorious  majesty  of  the  Lord, 
and  to  praise  him  among  his  holy  angels,  and  to 
love  him,  and  to  be  filled  with  his  love  for  ever. 
And  as  this  was  the  end  that  man  was  made  for,  so 
God  gave  him  means  that  were  fitted  to  the  attain- 
ing of  it. 

These  means  were  principally  two :  1.  The  right 
inclination  and  disposition  of  the  mind  of  man.  2. 
The  right  ordering  of  his  life  and  practice.  For  the 
first,  God  suited  the  disposition  of  man  unto  his  end, 
giving  him  such  knowledge  of  God  as  was  fit  for  his 
present  state,  and  a  heart  disposed  and  inclined  to 
God  in  holy  love.  But  yet  he  did  not  fix  or  confirm 
him  in  this  condition,  but,  having  made  him  a  free 
agent,  he  left  him  to  the  exercise  of  his  own  free 
will      For  the  second,  God  did  that  which  belonged 


THE    UNCONVERTED  37 

to  liim ;  that  is,  he  gave  him  a  perfect  law,  requiring 
him  to  continue  in  the  love  of  God  and  perfectly  to 
obey  him. 

By  the  wilful  breach  of  this  law,  man  not  only 
forfeited  his  hopes  of  everlasting  life,  but  also  turned 
his  heart  from  God  and  fixed  it  on  these  lower  fleshly 
things,  and  thereby  blotted  out  the  spiritual  image 
of  God  from  his  soul ;  so  that  man  both  fell  short 
of  the  glory  of  God,  which  was  his  end,  and  put 
himself  out  of  the  way  by  which  he  should  have 
attained- it,  and  this  both  as  to  the  frame  of  his  heart ' 
and  of  his  life.  The  holy  inclination  and  love  of  his 
soul  to  God  he  lost,  and  instead  of  it  he  contracted 
an  inclination  and  love  to  the  pleasing  of  his  flesh, 
or  carnal  self,  by  earthly  things ;  growing  strange 
to  God  and  acquainted  with  the  creature.  And  the 
course  of  his  life  was  suited  to  the  bent  and  incli- 
nation of  his  heart ;  he  lived  to  his  carnal  self,  and 
not  to  God  ;  he  sought  the  creature  for  the  pleasing 
of  his  flesh,  instead  of  seeking  to  please  the  Lord. 
With  this  nature  or  corrupt  inclination  we  are  all 
now  born  into  the  world ;  "  for  who  can  bring  a 
clean  thing  out  of  an  unclean  ?"  Job  14:4.  As  a 
lion  hath  a  fierce  and  cruel  nature  before  he  doth 
devour ;  and  an  adder  hath  a  venomous  nature  be- 
fore she  stings  ;  so  in  our  infancy  we  have  those  sin- 
ful natures  or  inclinations  before  we  think,  or  speak, 
or  do  amiss.  And  hence  springeth  all  the  sin  of 
our  lives ;  and  not  onlv  so,  but  when  God  hath  of 


38  A    CALL   TO 

his  mercy  provided  us  a  remedy,  even  the  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ,  to  be  the  Saviour  of  our  souls  and  bring 
us  back  to  God  again,  we  naturally  love  our  present 
state,  and  are  loth  to  be  brought  out  of  it,  and  there- 
fore are  set  against  the  means  of  our  recovery :  and 
though  custom  hath  taught  us  to  thank  Christ  for 
his  good-will,  yet  carnal  self  persuades  us  to  refuse 
his  remedies,  and  to  desire  to  be  excused  when  we 
are  commanded  to  take  the  medicines  which  he  of- 
fers, and  are  called  to  forsake  all  and  follow  him  to 
Cod  and  glory. 

I  pray  you  read  over  this  leaf  again,  and  mark  it ; 
for  in  these  few  words  you  have  a  true  description 
of  our  natural  state,  and  consequently  of  a  wicked 
man;  for  every  man  that  is  in  the  state  of  corrupt 
nature  is  a  wicked  man,  and  in  a  state  of  death. 

II.  By  this  you  are  prepared  to  understand  what 
it  is  to  be  converted  ;  to  which  end  you  must 
further  know,  that  the  mercy  of  God,  not  willing 
that  man  should  perish  in  his  sins,  provided  a  rem- 
edy, by  causing  his  Son  to  take  our  nature,  and  be- 
ing in  one  person  God  and  man,  to  become  a  me- 
diator between  God  and  man ;  and  by  dying  for  our 
sins  on  the  cross,  to  ransom  us  from  the  curse  of 
God  and  the  power  of  the  devil.  And  having  thus 
redeemed  us,  the  Father  hath  delivered  us  into  his 
hands  as  his  own.  Hereupon  the  Father  and  the 
Mediator  do  make  a  new  law  and  covenant  for  man, 
not  like  the  first,  which  ffaVe  life  to  none  but  the 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  39 

perfectly  obedient,  and  condemned  man  for  every 
sin ;  but  Christ  bath  made  a  law  of  grace,  or  a 
promise  of  pardon  and  everlasting  life  to  all  that,  by 
true  repentance,  and  by  faith  in  Christ,  are  converted 
unto  God :  like  an  act  of  oblivion  which  is  made  by 
a  prince  to  a  company  of  rebels,  on  condition  that 
they  will  lay  down  their  arms  and  come  in  and  be 
loyal  subjects  for  the  time  to  come. 

But,  because  the  Lord  knoweth  that  the  heart  of 
man  is  grown  so  wicked,  that,  for  all  this,  men  will 
not  accept  of  the  remedy  if  they  are  left  to  them- 
selves, therefore  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  undertaken  it 
as  his  office  to  inspire  the  apostles,  and  seal  the 
Scriptures  by  miracles  and  wonders,  and  to  illumi- 
nate and  convert  the  souls  of  the  elect. 

So  by  this  much  you  see,  that  as  there  are  three 
persons  in  the  Trinity,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  so  each  of  these  persons  have  their 
several  works,  which  are  eminently  ascribed  to  them. 

The  Father's  works  were,  to  create  us,  to  rule  us, 
as  his  rational  creatures,  by  the  law  of  nature,  and 
judge  us  thereby ;  and  in  mercy  to  provide  us  a 
Redeemer  when  we  were  lost ;  and  to  send  his  Son, 
and  accept  his  ransom. 

The  works  of  the  Son  for  us  were  these  :  to  ran- 
som and  redeem  us  by  his  sufferings  and  righteous- 
ness ;  to  give  out  the  promise  or  law  of  grace,  and 
rule  and  judge  the  world  as  the  Redeemer,  on  terms 
of  grace ;  to  make  intercession  for  us,  that  the  ben* 


40  A   CALL    TO 

efits  of  his  death  may  be  communicated  ;  and  to 
send  the  Holy  Gliost,  which  the  Father  also  doth  by 
the  Son. 

The  works  of  the  Holy  Ghost  for  us  are  these :  to 
indite  the  Holy  Scriptures  by  inspiring  and  guiding 
the  prophets  and  apostles,  and  sealing  the  word  by 
nis  miraculous  gifts  and  works ;  and  illuminating  and 
exciting  the  ordinary  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  and  so 
enabling  them  and  helping  them  to  publish  that  word ; 
and  by  the  same  word  illuminating  and  converting 
the  souls  of  men.  So  that  as  you  could  not  have 
been  reasonable  creatures  if  the  Father  had  not  cre- 
ated you,  nor  have  had  any  access  to  God  if  the  Son 
had  not  redeemed  you,  so  neither  can  you  have  a 
part  in  Christ  or  be  saved  except  the  Holy  Ghost  do 
sanctify  you. 

So  that  by  this  time  you  may  see  the  several 
causes  of  this  work.  The  Father  sendeth  the  Son ; 
the  Son  redeemeth  us  and  maketh  the  promise  of 
grace;  the  Holy  Ghost  inditeth  and  sealeth  this 
Gospel ;  the  apostles  are  the  secretaries  of  the  Spirit 
to  write  it ;  the  preachers  of  the  Gospel  to  proclaim 
it,  and  persuade  men  to  obey  it ;  and  the  Holy 
Ghost  doth  make  their  preaching  effectual,  by  open- 
ing the  hearts  of  men  to  entertain  it.  And  all  this 
to  repair  the  image  of  God  upon  the  soul,  and  to 
set  the  heart  upon  God  again,  and  take  it  off  from 
the  creature  and  carnal  self  to  which  it  is  revolted, 
and  so  to  turn  the  current  of  #»<*  life  into  a  heavenly 


THE    UNCONVERTED  41 

course,  which  before  was  earthly ;  and  this  through 
embracing  Christ  by  faith,  who  is  the  Physician  of 
the  soul. 

By  what  I  have  said  you  may  see  what  it  is  to  be 
wicked,  and  what  it  is  to  be  converted;  which,  I 
think,  will  be  yet  plainer  to  you,  if  I  describe  them 
as  consisting  of  their  several  parts.  A  wicked  man 
may  be  known  by  these  three  things : 

1.  He  is  one  who  placeth  his  chief  affections  on 
earth,  and  loveth  the  creature  more  than  God,  and 
hi*  fleshly  prosperity  above  the  heavenly  felicity. 
He  savoreth  the  things  of  the  flesh,  but  neither  dis- 
cerneth  nor  savoreth  the  things  of  the  Spirit ;  though 
he  will  say  that  heaven  is  better  than  earth,  yet  he 
doth  not  really  so  esteem  it  to  himself.  If  he  might 
be  sure  of  earth,  he  would  let  go  heaven,  and  had 
rather  stay  here  than  be  removed  thither.  A  life 
of  perfect  holiness  in  the  sight  of  God,  dwelling  in 
his  love  and  praising  him  for  ever  in  heaven,  is  not 
so  pleasing  to  his  heart  as  a  life  of  health,  and  wealth, 
and  honor  here  upon  earth.  And  though  he  falsely 
profess  that  he  loves  God  above  all,  yet  indeed  he 
never  felt  the  power  of  divine  love  within  him,  but 
his  mind  is  more  set  on  the  world  or  fleshly  pleasures 
than  on  God.  In  a  word,  whoever  loves  earth  above 
heaven,  and  fleshly  prosperity  more  than  God,  is  a 
wicked  unconverted  man. 

On  the  other  hand,  a  converted  man  is  illuminated 


42  A    CALL    TO 

to  discern  the  loveliness  of  God,  and  so  far  believetb 
the  glory  that  is  to  be  had  with  God,  that  his  heart 
is  taken  up  with  it  and  set  more  upon  it  than  on  any 
thing  in  this  world.  He  had  rather  see  the  face  of 
God,  and  live  in  his  everlasting  love  and  praises, 
than  have  all  the  wealth  or  pleasures  df  the  world. 
He  seeth  that  all  things  else  are  vanity,  and  nothing 
but  God  can  fill  the  soul ;  and  therefore,  let  the  world 
go  which  way  it  will,  he  layeth  up  his  treasures  and 
hopes  in  heaven,  and  for  that  he  is  resolved  to  let  go 
all.  As  the  fire  doth  mount  upward,  and  the  nee- 
dle that  is  touched  with  the  loadstone  still  turns  to 
the  north,  so  the  converted  soul  is  inclined  unto  God. 
Nothing  else  can  satisfy  him :  nor  can  he  find  any 
content  and  rest  but  in  his  love.  In  a  word,  all  that 
are  converted  do  esteem  and  love  God  better  than 
all  the  world,  and  the  heavenly  felicity  is  dearer  to 
them  than  their  fleshly  prosperity.  The  proof  of 
what  I  have  said  you  may  find  in  these  places  of 
Scripture:  Phil.  3  :  8-10;  Matt.  6  :  19-21 ;  Colos. 
3:1-4;  Rom.  8  :  5-9,  18,  23  ;  Psalms  IS  :  25,  26. 
2.  A  wicked  man  is  one  that  makes  it  the  princi- 
pal business  of  his  life  to  prosper  in  the  world  and 
attain  his  fleshly  ends.  And  though  he  may  read, 
and  hear,  and  do  mucli  in  the  outward  duties  of  re- 
ligion, and  forbear  disgraceful  sins,  yet  this  is  all  but 
by  the  by,  and  he  never  makes  it  the  principal  busi- 
ness of  his  life  to  please  God  and  attain  everlasting 
glory,  but  puts  off  God  with  the  leavings  of  the 


THE    UNCONVERTED  43 

world,  and  gives  him  no  more  service  than  the  flesh 
can  spare,  for  he  will  not  part  with  all  for  heaven. 

On  the  contrary,  a  converted  man  is  one  that 
makes  it  the  principal  care  and  business  of  his  life 
to  please  God  and  to  be  saved,  and  takes  all  the 
blessings  of  this  life  but  as  accommodations  in  his 
journey  towards  another  life,  and  useth  the  creature 
in  subordination  to  God :  he  loves  a  holy  life,  and 
longs  to  be  more  holy ;  he  hath  no  sin  but  what  he 
hateth,  and  longeth,  and  prayeth,  and  striveth  to  be 
rid  of.  The  drifo  and  bent  of  his  life  is  for  God,  and 
if  he  sin,  it  is  contrary  to  the  very  bent  of  his  heart 
and  life ;  and  therefore  he  riseth  again  and  lamenteth 
it,  and  dares  not  wilfully  live  in  any  known  sin. 
There  is  nothing  in  this  world  so  dear  to  him  but  he 
can  give  it  up  to  God,  and  forsake  it  for  him  and 
the  hopes  of  glory.  All  this  you  may  see  in  Col, 
3:1-5;  Matt.  G  :  20,  33;  Luke  18:22,  23,  29; 
and  14  :  18,  24,  2G,  27  ;  Rom.  8:13;  Gal.  5  :  24 ; 
Luke  12:21,  etc. 

3.  The  soul  of  a  wicked  man  did  never  truly  dis- 
cern and  relish  the  mystery  of  redemption,  nor 
thankfully  entertain  an  offered  Saviour,  nor  is  he 
taken  up  with  the  love  of  the  Redeemer,  nor  willing 
to  be  ruled  by  him  as  the  Physician  of  his  soul,  that 
he  may  be  saved  from  the  guilt  and  power  of  his 
sins,  and  recovered  to  God ;  but  his  heart  is  insensi- 
ble of  this  unspeakable  benefit,  and  is  quite  against 
the  healing  means  bv  which  he  should  be  recovered. 


44  A    CALL   TO 

Though  he  may  be  willing  to  be  outwardly  religious, 
yet  he  never  resigned  up  his  soul  to  Christ  and  to 
the  motions  and  conduct  of  his  word  and  Spirit. 

On  the  contrary,  the  converted  soul  having  felt 
himself  undone  by  sin,  and  perceiving  that  he  hath 
lost  his  peace  with  God  and  hopes  of  heaven,  and  is 
in  danger  of  everlasting  misery,  doth  thankfully  en- 
tertain the  tidings  of  redemption,  and  believing  in 
the  Lord  Jesus  as  his  only  Saviour,  resigns  himself 
up  to  him  for  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification, 
and  redemption.  He  takes  Christ  as  the  life  of  his 
soul,  and  lives  by  him,  and  uses  him  as  a  salve  for 
every  sore,  admiring  the  wisdom  and  love  of  God  in 
his  wonderful  work  of  man's  redemption.  In  a 
word,  Christ  doth  even  dwell  in  his  heart  by  faith, 
and  the  life  that  he  now  liveth,  is  by  the  faith  of  the 
Son  of  God,  that  loved  him,  and  gave  himself  for 
him  ;  yea,  it  is  not  so  much  he  that  liveth,  as  Christ 
in  him.  For  these,  see  John  1  :  11,  12  ;  and  3  :  19, 
20 ;  Rom.  8:9;  Phil.  3:7-10;  Gal.  2  :  20 ;  John 
15:2-4;  1  Cor.  1  :  20 ;  2:2. 

You  see  now,  in  plain  terms  from  the  word  of 
God,  who  are  the  wicked  and  who  are  the  converted. 
Ignorant  people  think  that  if  a  man  be  no  swearei, 
nor  curser,  nor  railer,  nor  drunkard,  nor  fornicator, 
nor  extortioner,  nor  wrong  any  body  in  his  dealings, 
and  if  he  come  to  church  and  say  his  prayers,  he 
cannot  be  a  wicked  man.  Or  if  a  man  that  hath 
been  guilty  of  drunkenness,  swearing,  or  gaming,  or 


THE    UNCONVERTED  45 

the  like  vices,  do  but  forbear  them  for  the  time  to 
come,  they  think  that  this  is  a  converted  man.  Others 
think  if  a  man  that  hath  been  an  enemy;  and  scorner 
at  godliness,  do  but  approve  it,  and  join  himself  to 
those  that  are  godly,  and  be  hated  for  it  by  the 
wicked,  as  the  godly  are,  that  this  must  needs  be  a 
converted  man.  And  some  are  so  foolish  as  to  think 
that  they  are  converted  by  taking  up  some  new  and 
false  opinion,  and  falling  into  some  dividing  party. 
And  some  think,  if  they  have  but  been  affrighted  by 
the  fears  of  hell,  and  had  convictions  of  conscience, 
and  thereupon  have  purposed  and  promised  amend- 
ment, and  taken  up  a  life  of  civil  behavior  and  out- 
ward religion,  that  this  must  needs  be  true  conver- 
sion. And  these  are  the  poor  deluded  souls  that 
are  like  to  lose  the  benefit  of  all  our  persuasions ; 
and  when  they  hear  that  the  wicked  must  turn  or 
die,  they  think  that  this  is  not  spoken  to  them,  for 
they  are  not  wicked,  but  are  turned  already.  And 
therefore  it  is  that  Christ  told  some  of  the  rulers  of 
the  Jews  who  were  more  grave  and  civil  than  the 
common  people,  that  "publicans  and  harlots  go  into 
the  kingdom  of  God  before  them."  Matt.  21  :  31. 
Not  that  a  harlot  or  gross  sinner  can  be  saved  with- 
out conversion ;  but  because  it  was  easier  to  make 
these  gross  sinners  perceive  their  sin  and  misery,  and 
the  necessity  of  a  change,  than  the  more  civil  sort, 
whc  delude  themselves  by  thinking  that  they  are 
converted  already,  when  they  are  not. 


46  A    CALL   TO 

0  sirs,  conversion  is  another  kind  of  work  than 
most  are  aware  of.  It  is  nut  a  small  matter  to  bring 
an  earthly  mind  to  heaven,  and  to  show  man  the 
amiable  excellence  of  God,  till  he  be  taken  up  in 
such  love  to  him  as  can  never  be  quenched  ;  to  break 
the  heart  for  sin,  and  make  him  fly  for  refuge  to 
Christ,  and  thankfully  embrace  him  as  the  life  of  his 
soul ;  to  have  the  very  drift  and  bent  of  the  heart 
and  life  changed ;  so  that  a  man  renounceth  that 
which  he  took  for  his  felicity,  and  placeth  his  felicity 
where  he  never  did  before,  and  lives  not  to  the  same 
end,  and  drives  not  on  the  same  design  in  the  world, 
as  he  formerly  did.  In  a  word,  he  that  is  in  Christ 
is  a  "  new  creature :  old  things  are  passed  away ; 
behold,  all  things  are  become  new."  2  Cor.  5:17. 
He  hath  a  new  understanding,  a  new  will  and  reso- 
lution, new  sorrows,  and  desires,  and  love,  and  de- 
light ;  new  thoughts,  new  speeches,,  new  company — ■ 
if  possible — and  a  new  conversation.  Sin,  that  be- 
fore was  a  jesting  matter  with  him,  is  now  so  odious 
and  terrible  to  him  that  he  flies  from  it  as  from  death. 
The  world,  that  was  so  lovely  in  his  eyes,  doth  now 
appear  but  as  vanity  and  vexation :  God,  that  was 
before  neglected,  is  now  the  only  happiness  of  his 
soul :  before,  he  was  forgotten,  and  every  lust  pre- 
ferred before  him  ;  but  now  he  is  set  next  the  heart, 
and  all  things  must  give  place  to  him ;  the  heart  is 
taken  up  in  the  attendance  and  observance  of  him, 
is  grieved  when  he  hides  his  face,  and  never  thinks  . 


THE    UN  CO  N.V  Eft  TED.  47 

itself  well  without  him.  Christ  himself,  that  was 
wont  to  be  slightly  thought  of,  is  now  his  only  hope 
and  refuge,  and  he  lives  upon  him  as  on  his  daily 
bread ;  he  cannot  pray  without  him,  nor  rejoice  with- 
out him,  nor  think,  nor  speak,  nor  live  without  him, 
Heaven  itself,  that  before  was  looked  upon  but  as  a 
tolerable  reserve,  which  he  hoped  might  serve  his 
turn  better  than  hell  when  he  could  not  stay  any 
longer  in  the  world,  is  now  taken  for  his  home,  the 
place  of  his  only  hope  and  rest,  where  he  shall  see, 
and  love,  and  praise  that  God  who  hath  his  heart 
already.  Hell,  that  did  seem  before  but  as  a  bug- 
bear to  frighten  men  from  sin,  doth  now  appear  to 
be  a  real  misery  that  is  not  to  be  ventured  on  nor 
jested  with.  The  works  of  holiness,  of  which  be- 
fore he  was  weary,  and  which  he  thought  unneces- 
sary, are  now  both  his* recreation  and  his  business. 
The  Bible,  which  was  before  to  him  but  almost  as  a 
common  book,  is  now  as  the  law  of  God  ;  as  a  letter 
written  to  him  from  heaven  and  subscribed  with  the 
name  of  the  Eternal  Majesty ;  it  is  the  rule  of  his 
thoughts,  and  words,  and  deeds  ;  the  commands  are 
binding,  the  threats  are  dreadful,  and  the  promises 
of  it  speak  life  to  his  soul.  The  godly,  that  seemed 
to  him  but  like  other  men,  are  now  the  most  excel- 
lent and  happy  on  earth.  And  the  wicked,  that 
were  his  play-fellows,  are  now  his  grief;  and  he  that 
could  laugh  at  their  sins  is  more  ready  now  to  weep 
for  their  sin  and  misery,  and  to  say  with  those  of 


48  A    C«\LL   TO 

old,  Psalm  lb  :  3  ;  15:4;  Phil.  3:18,"  But  to  the 
saints  that  are  in  the  earth,  and  to  the  excellent,  in 
whom  is  all  my  delight."  "  In  whose  eyes  a  vile 
person  is  contemned ;  but  he  honoreth  them  that 
fear  the  Lord :  he  that  sweareth  to  his  own  hurt, 
and  changeth  not."  "For  many  walk,  of  whom  I 
have  told  you  often,  and  now  tell  you  even  weeping, 
that  they  are  the  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ." 

In  short,  he  hath  a  new  end  in  his  thoughts,  and 
a  new  way  in  his  endeavors,  and  therefore  his  heart 
and  life  are  new.  Before,  his  carnal  self  was  his 
end,  and  his  pleasure  and  worldly  profit  and  credit 
were  his  way ;  and  now,  God  and  everlasting  glory 
are  his  end,  and  Christ,  and  the  Spirit,  and  word, 
and  ordinances ;  holiness  to  God,  and  righteousness 
and  mercy  to  men,  these  are  his  way.  Before,  self 
was  the  chief  ruler,  to  whieh  the  matters  of  God 
and  conscience  must  stoop  and  give  place ;  and  now 
God,  in  Christ,  by  the  Spirit,  word,  and  ministry,  is 
the  chief  ruler,  to  whom  both  self  and  all  the  matters 
of  self  must  give  place.  So  that  this  is  not  a  change 
in  one,  or  two,  or  twenty  points,  but  in  the  whole 
soul,  and  in  the  very  end  and  bent  of  the  conversa- 
tion. A  man  may  step  out  of  one  path  into  another, 
and  yet  have  his  face  the  same  way,  and  be  still  go- 
ing towards  the  same  place  ;  but  it  is  another  matter 
tc  turn  quite  'back,  and  take  his  journey  quite  the 
contrary  way,  to  a  contrary  place.  So  it  is  here :  a 
man  may  turn  from  drunkenness,  and  forsake  other 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  49 

gross  disgraceful  sins,  and  set  upon  some  duties  of 
religion,  and  yet  be  still  going  to  the  same  end  as 
before,  loving  his  carnal  self  above  all,  and  giving  it 
still  the  government  of  his  soul;  but  when  he  is 
converted,  this  self  is  denied  and  taken  down,  and 
God  is  set  up,  and  his  face  is  turned  the  contrary- 
way  ;  and  he  that  before  was  addicted  to  himself, 
and  lived  to  himself,  is  now,  by  sanctification,  de- 
voted to  God,  and  liveth  unto  God.  Before,  he 
asked  himself  what  he  should  do  with  his  time,  his 
talents,  and  his  estate,  and  for  himself  he  used  them ; 
but  now  he  asketh  God  what  he  shall  do  with  them, 
and  useth  them  for  him.  Before,  he  would  please 
God  so  far  as  might  accord  with  the  pleasure  of  his 
flesh  and  carnal  self,  but  not  to  any  great  displeasure 
of  them ;  but  now  he  will  please  God,  let  flesh  and 
self  be  never  so  much  displeased.  This  is  the  great 
change  that  God  will  make  upon  all  that  shall  be 
saved. 

You  •  can  say  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  our  sancti- 
fier ;  but  do  you  know  what  sanctification  is  ?  Why, 
this  is  what  I  have  now  opened  to  you ;  and  every 
man  and  woman  in  the  world  must  have  this,  or  be 
condemned  to  everlasting  misery.  They  must  turn 
or  die. 

Do  you  believe  all  this,  sirs,  or  do  you  not  ?  Surely 
you  dare  not  say  you  do  not ;  for  ifc  is  past  all  doubt 
or  denial.  These  are.  not  controversies,  where  one 
learned  pious  man  is  of  one  mind  and  another  of 

B.  Call.  4 


50  A   CALL   TO 

another ;  wLere  one  party  saith  this,  and  the  other 
saith  that.  Every  sect  among  us  that  deserve  to  be 
called  Christians  are  all  agreed  in  this  that  I  have 
said ;  and  if  you  will  not  believe  the  God  of  truth, 
and  that  in  a  case  where  every  sect  and  party  do 
believe  him,  you  are  utterly  inexcusable. 

But  if  you  do  believe  this,  how  comes  it  to  pass 
that  you  live  so  quietly  in  an  unconverted  state  ?  Do 
you  think  that  you  are  converted?  and  can  you  find 
this  wonderful  change  upon  your  souls  ?  Have  you 
been  thus  born  again,  and  made  new?  Are  not 
these  strange  matters  to  many  of  you,  and  such  as 
you  never  felt  within  yourselves  ?  You  cannot  tell 
the  day  or  week  of  your  change,  or  the  very  sermon 
that  converted  you,  yet  do  you  find  that  the  work  is 
done,  that  such  a  change  indeed  there  is,  and  that 
you  have  such  hearts  as  are  before  described  ?  Alas ! 
the  most  follow  their  worldly  business,  and  little 
trouble  their  minds  with  such  thoughts.  And  if 
they  be  but  restrained  from  scandalous  sins,  and  can 
say,  "  I  am  no  whoremonger,  nor  thief,  nor  curser, 
nor  swearer,  nor  tippler,  nor  extortioner ;  I  go  to 
church,  and  say  my  prayers  ;"  they  think  that  this  is 
true  conversion,  and  that  they  shall  be  saved  as  well 
as  any.  Alas  !  this  is  foolish  cheating  of  yourselves. 
This  is  too  much  contempt  of  an  endless  glory,  and 
too  gross  neglect  of  your  immortal  souls.  Can  you 
make  so  light  of  heaven  and  hell  ? 

Your  body  will  shortly  lie  in  the  dust,  and  angels 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  51 

or  devils  will  presently  seize  upon  your  souls ;  and 
every  man  or  woman  of  you  all  will  shortly  be  among 
other  company,  and  in  another  case  than  now  you 
are.  You  will  dwell  in  these  houses  but  a  little 
longer ;  you  will  work  in  your  shops  and  fields  but 
a  little  longer ;  you  will  sit  in  these  seats  and  dwell 
on  this  earth  but  a  little  longer ;  you  will  see  with 
these  eyes,  and  hear  with  these  ears,  and  speak  with 
these  tongues  but  a  little  longer,  till  the  resurrec- 
tion-day ;  and  can  you  make  shift  to  forget  this  ?  0 
what  a  place  will  you  shortly  be  in  of  joy  or  tor- 
ment !  0  what  a  sight  will  you  shortly  see  in  heaven 
or  hell !  0  what  thoughts  will  shortly  fill  your 
hearts  with  unspeakable  delight  or  horror !  What 
work  will  you  be  employed  in !  to  praise  tke  Lord 
with  saints  and  angels,  or  to  cry  out  in  fire  unquench- 
able with  devils  ;  and  should  all  this  be  forgotten  ? 
And  all  this  will  be  endless,  and  sealed  up  by  an 
unchangeable  decree.  Eternity,  eternity  will  be  the 
measure  of  your  joys  or  sorrows :  and  can  this  be 
forgotten  ?  And  all  this  is  true,  sirs,  most  certainly 
true.  When  you  have  gone  up  and  down  a  little 
longer,  and  slept  and  awakened  a  few  times  more, 
you  will  be  dead  and  gone,  and  find  all  true  that  now 
I  tell  you :  and  yet  can  you  now  so  much  forget  it  ? 
You  shall  then  remember  that  you  had  this  call,  and 
that,  this  day,  in  this  place,  you  were  reminded  of 
these  things,  and  you  will  perceive  them  to  be  mat- 
ters a  thousand  times  more  important  than  either  you 


52  A   CALL   TO 

or  I  could  here  conceive ;  and  yet  shall  they  be  now 
so  much  forgotten  ? 

Beloved  friends,  if  the  Lord  had  not  awakened  me 
to  believe  and  lay  to  heart  these  things  myself,  I 
should  have  remained  in  a  dark  and  selfish  state,  and 
have  perished  for  ever ;  but  if  he  have  truly  made 
me  sensible  of  them,  it  will  constrain  me  to  compas- 
sionate you  as  well  as  myself.  If  your  eyes  were 
so  far  opened  as  to  see  hell,  and  you  saw  your  neigh- 
bors that  were  unconverted  dragged  thither  with 
hideous  cries :  though  they  were  such  as  you  ac- 
counted honest  people  on  earth,  and  as  feared  no 
such  danger  themselves ;  such  a  sight  would  make 
you  go  home  and  think  of  it,  and  think  again,  and 
make  yt>u  warn  all  about  you,  as  that  lost  worldling, 
Luke  16:28,  would  have  had  his  brethren  warned, 
lest  they  come  to  that  place  of  torment. 

Faith  is  a  kind  of  sight ;  it  is  the  eye  of  the  soul, 
the  evidence  of  things  not  seen.  If  I  believe  God, 
it  is  next  to  seeing ;  and  therefore,  I  beseech  you, 
excuse  me  if  I  be  half  as  earnest  with  you  about 
these  matters  as  if  I  had  seen  them.  If  I  must  die 
to-morrow,  and  it  were  in  my  power  to  come  again 
from  another  world  and  tell  you  what  I  had  seen, 
would  ^you  not  be  willing  to  hear  me  ?  and  would 
you  not  believe  and  regard  what  I  should  -tell  you  ? 
If  I  might  preach  one  sermon  to  you  after  I  am  dead, 
and  have  seen  what  is  done  in  the  world  to  come, 
would  vou  not  have  me  plainly  speak  the  truth,  and 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  53 

vrould  you  not  crowd  to  hear  me,  and  would  you  not 
lay  it  to  heart  ?  But  this  must  not  be ;  God  hath 
his  appointed  way  of  teaching  you  by  Scripture  and 
ministers,  and  he  will  not  humor  unbelievers  so  far 
as  to  send  men  from  the  dead  to  them  and  alter  his 
established  way :  if  any  man  quarrel  with  the  sun, 
G  od  will  not  humor  him  so  far  as  to  set  up  a  clearer 
light.  Friends,  I  beseech  you,  regard  me  now  as 
you  would  do  if  I  should  come  from  the  dead  to 
you;  for  I  can  give  you  as  full  assurance  of  the 
truth  of  what  I  say  to  you  as  if  I  had  been  there 
and  seen  it  with  my  eyes :  it  is  possible  for  one  from 
the  dead  to  deceive  you ;  but  Jesus  Christ  can  never 
deceive  you ;  the  word  of  God  delivered  in  Scrip- 
ture, and  sealed  by  miracles  and  holy  workings  of 
the  Spirit,  can  never  deceive  you.  Believe  this,  or 
believe  nothing.  Believe  and  obey  this,  or  yon  are 
undone. 

Now,  as  ever  you  believe  the  word  of  God,  and 
as  ever  you  care  for  the  salvation  of  your  souls,  let 
me  beg  of  you  this  reasonable  request,  and  I  be- 
seech you  deny  me  not :  That  you  would  now  re- 
member what  has  been  said,  and  enter  into  an  earnest 
search  of  your  hearts,  and  say  to  yourselves,  Is  it 
so  indeed ;  must  I  turn  or  die  ?  Must  I  be  converted 
or  condemned  ?  It  is  time  for  me  then  to  look  about 
me  before  it  be  too  late.  0  why  did  I  not  look  af- 
ter this  before  now  ?  Why  did  I  venturously  put 
off  or  slumber  over  so  great  a  business  ?     Was  I 


54  A   CALL   TO 

awake,  or  in  my  senses  ?  0  blessed  God,  what  a 
mercy  is  it  that  thou  didst  not  cut  off  my  life  all  this 
while,  before  I  had  any  certain  hope  of  eternal  life ! 
God  forbid  that  I  should  neglect  this  work  any 
longer.  What  state  is  my  soul  in  ?  Am  I  converted, 
or  am  I  not  ?  Was  ever  such  a  change  or  work  done 
upon  my  soul  ?  Have  I  been  illuminated  by  the  word 
and  Spirit  of  the  Lord  to  see  the  odiousness  of  sin, 
the  need  of  a  Saviour,  the  love  of  Christ,  and  the 
excellences  of#God  and  glory?  Is  my  heart  broken 
or  humbled  within  me  for  my  former  life  ?  Have  I 
thankfully  entertained  my  Saviour  and  Lord  that 
offered  himself  with  pardon  and  life  for  my  soul  ? 
Do  I  hate  my  former  sinful  life  and  the  remnant  of 
every  sin  that  is  in  me  ?  Do  I  fly  from  them  as  my 
deadly  enemies  ?  Do  I  give  up  myself  to  a  life  of 
holiness  and  obedience  to  God  ?  Do  I  love  it  and 
delight  in  it  ?  Can  I  truly  say  that  I  am  dead  to 
the  world  and  carnal  self,  and  that  I  live  for  God  and 
the  glory  which  he  hath  promised  ?  Hath  heaven 
more  of  my  esteem  and  affection  than  earth  ?  And 
is  God  the  dearest  and  highest  in  my  soul?  Once, 
I  am  sure,  I  lived  principally  to  the  world  and  flesh, 
and  God  had  nothing  but  some  heartless  services, 
which  the  world  could  spare,  and  which  were  the 
leavings  of  the  flesh.  Is  my  heart  now  turned  an- 
other way  ?  Have  I  a  new  design  and  a  new  end, 
and  a  new  train  of  holy  affections  ?  Have  I  set  my 
hope  and  heart  in  heaven  ?   And  is  it  the  scope,  and 


THE    UNCONVERTED. 


50 


design,  and  bent  of  my  heart  to  get  well  to  heaven, 
and  see  the  glorious  face  of  God,  and  live  in  his 
everlasting  love  and  praise  ?  And  when  I  sin,  is  it 
against  the  habitual  bent  and  design  of  my  heart  ? 
And  do  I  conquer  all  gross  sins,  and  am  I  weary  and 
willing  to  be  rid  of  my  infirmities  ?  This  is  the  state 
of  converted  souls.  And  thus  it  must  be  with  me, 
or  I  must  perish.  Is  it  thus  with  me  indeed,  or  is  it 
not  ?  It  is  time  to  get  this  doubt  resolved,  before 
the  dreadful  Judge  resolve  it.  I  am  not  such  a 
stranger  to  my  own  heart  and  life,  but  I  may  some- 
what perceive  whether  I  am  thus  converted  or  not : 
if  I  be  not,  it  will  do  me  no  good  to  flatter  my  soul 
with  false  conceits  and  hopes.  I  am  resolved  no 
more  to  deceive  myself,  but  endeavor  to  know  truly 
whether  I  be  converted  or  not :  that  if  I  be,  I  may 
rejoice  in  it,  and  glorify  my  gracious  Lord,  and  com- 
fortably go  on  till  I  reach  the  crown :  and  if  I  am 
not,  that  I  may  set  myself  to  beg  and  seek  after  the 
grace  that  should  convert  me,  and  may  turn  without 
any  more  delay.  For,  if  I  find  in  time  that  I  am 
out  of  the  way,  by  the  help  of  Christ  I  may  turn  and 
be  recovered ;  but  if  I  stay  till  either  my  heart  be 
forsaken  of  God  in  blindness  and  hardness,  or  till  I 
be  snatched  away  by  death,  it  is  then  too  late.  There 
is  no  place  for  repentance  and  conversion  then :  I 
know  it  must  be  now  or  never. 

Sirs,  this  is  my  request  to  you,  that  you  will  but 
take  your  hearts  to  task,  and  thus  examine  them  till 


56  A   CALL  TO 

you  see,  if  it  may  be,  whether  you  are  converted  or 
not.  And  if  you  cannot  find  it  out  by  your  own 
endeavors,  go  to  your  ministers,  if  they  be  faith- 
ful and  experienced  men,  and  desire  their  assistance. 
The  matter  is  great ;  let  not  bashfulness  nor  careless- 
ness hinder  you.  They  are  set  over  you  to  advise 
you  for  the  saving  of  your  souls,  as  physicians  advise 
you  for  the  curing  of  your  bodies.  It  undoes  many 
thousands  that  they  think  they  are  in  the  way  to  sal- 
vation when  they  are  not ;  and  think  that  they  are 
converted  when  it  is  no  such  thing.  And  then  when 
we  call  to  them  daily  to  turn,  they  go  away  as  they 
came,  and  think  that  this  concerns  not  them;  for 
they  are  turned  already,  and  hope  they  shall  do  well 
enough  in  the  way  that  they  are  in,  at  least  if  they 
pick  the  fairest  path,  and  avoid  some  of  the  foulest 
steps,  when,  alas  !  all  this  while  they  live  but  to  the 
world  and  flesh,  and  are  strangers  to  God  and  eter- 
nal life,  and  are  quite  out  of  the  way  to  heaven. 
And  all  this  because  we  cannot  persuade  them  to  a 
few  serious  thoughts  of  their  condition,  and  to  spend 
a  few  hours  in  the  examining  of  their  states. 

Are  there  not  many  self- deceivers  who  hear  me 
this  day,  that  never  bestowed  one  hour,  or  quarter 
of  an  hour,  in  all  their  lives,  to  examine  their  souls, 
and  try  whether  they  are  truly  converted  or  not  ? 
0  merciful  God,  that  will  care  for  such  wretches 
that  care  no  more  for  thelnselves,  and  that  will  do 
bo  much  to  save  them  from  hell  and  help  them  to 


THE   UNCONVERTED.  57 

heaven,  who  will  do  so  little  for  it  themselves !  If 
all  that  are  in  the  way  to  hell  and  in  the  state  of 
damnation  did  but  know  it,  they  durst  not  continue 
in  it.  The  greatest  hope  that  the  devil  hath  of 
bringing  you  to  damnation  without  a  rescue,  is  by 
keeping  you  blindfold  and  ignorant  of  your  state, 
and  making  you  believe  that  you  may  do  well  enough 
in  the  way  that  you  are  in.  If  you  knew  that  you 
were  out  of  the  way  to  heaven,  and  were  lost  for 
ever  if  you  should  die  as  you  are,  durst  you  sleep 
another  night  in  the  state  that  you  are  in  ?  Durst 
you  live  another  day  in  it?  Could  you  heartily 
laugh  or  be  merry  in  such  a  state  ?  What !  and  not 
know  but  you  may  be  snatched  away  to  hell  in  an 
hour  ?  Sure  it  would  constrain  you  to  forsake  your 
former  company  and  courses,  and  to  betake  your- 
selves to  the  ways  of  holiness  and  the  communion 
of  the  saints.  Sure  it  would  drive  you  to  cry  to 
God  for  a  new  heart,  and  to  seek  help  of  those  that 
are  fit  to  counsel  you.  There  are  none  of  you  surely 
that  care  not  for  being  damned.  Well,  then,  I  be- 
seech you,  presently  make  inquiry  into  your  hearts, 
and  give  them  no  rest  till  you  find  out  your  con- 
dition, that  if  it  be  good,  you  may  rejoice  in  it,  and 
go  on;  and  if  it  be  bad,  you  may  presently  look 
about  you  for  recovery,  as  men  that  believe  they 
must  turn  or  die.  What  -say  you,  sirs,  will  you  re- 
solve and  promise  to  be  at  thus  much  labor  for  your 
own  souls  ?     Will  you  now  enter  upon  this  self- ex- 


58  A    CALL   TO 

amination  ?  Is  my  request  unreasonable  ?  Your 
consciences  know  it  is  not.  Resolve  on  it,  then,  be- 
fore you  stir ;  knowing  bow  much  it  concerneth  your 
souls.  I  beseech  you,  for  the  sake  of  that  God  that 
doth  command  you,  at  whose  bar  you  will  all  shortly 
appear,  that  you  do  not  deny  me  this  reasonable 
request.  For  the  sake  of  those  souls  that  must  turn 
or  die,  I  beseech  you  deny  me  not;  but  make  it 
your  business  to  understand  your  own  condition  and 
build  upon  sure  ground,  and  know  whether  you  are 
converted  or  not ;  and  venture  not  your  souls  on 
negligent  security. 

But  perhaps  you  will  say,  "What  if  we  should 
find  ourselves  yet  unconverted,  what  •  shall  we  do 
then?"  This  question  leads  me  to  my  second  Doc- 
trine, which  will  do  much  to  the  answering  of  it,  to 
which  I  now  proceed. 


DOCTRINE   II. 

It  is  the  promise  of  God,  that  the  wicked  shall  live,  if  they 
will  but  turn — unfeignedly  and  thoroughly  turn. 

The  Lord  here  professeth  that  this  is  what  he 
takes  pleasure  in,  that  the  wicked  turn  and  live. 
Heaven  is  made  as  sure  to  the  converted,  as  hell  is 
to  the  unconverted.  Turn  and  live,  is  as  certain  a 
truth  as  turn  or  die.     God  was  not  bound  to  pro- 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  59 

vide  us  a  Saviour,  nor  open  to  us  a  door  of  hope, 
nor  call  us  to  repent  and  turn,  when  once  we  had 
cast  ourselves  away  by  sin.  But  he  hath  freely  done 
it  to  magnify  his  mercy.  Sinners,  there  are  none 
of  you  that  shall  have  cause  to  go  home  and  say  I 
preach  desperation  to  you.  Do  we  use  to  shut  the 
door  of  mercy  against#you  ?  0  that  you  would  not 
shut  it  against  yourselves  !  Do  we  use  to  tell  you 
that  God  will  have  no  mercy  on  you,  though  you 
turn  and  be  sanctified  ?  When  did  you  ever  hear  a 
preacher  say  such  a  word  ?  You  that  cavil  at  the 
preachers  of  the  Gospel  for  desiring  to  keep  you 
out  of  hell,  and  say  that  they  preach  desperation ; 
tell  me,  if  you  can,  when  did  you  ever  hear  any  so- 
ber man  say  that  there  is  no  hope  for  you,  though 
you  repent  and  be  converted  ?  No,  it  is  the  direct 
contrary  that  we  daily  proclaim  from  the  Lord  :  that 
whoever  is  born  again,  and  by  faith  and  repentance 
doth  become  a  new  creature,  shall  certainly  be  saved ; 
and  so  far  are  we  from  persuading  you  to  despair  of 
this,  that  we  persuade  you  not  to  make  any  doubt 
of  it.  It  is  life,  not  death,  that  is  the  first  part  of 
our  message  to  you ;  our  commission  is  to  offer  sal- 
vation,  certain  salvation,  a  speedy,  glorious,  everlast- 
ing salvation  to  every  one  of  you ;  to  the  poorest 
beggar  as  well  as  the  greatest  lord  ;  to  the  worst  of 
you,  even  to  drunkards,  swearers,  worldlings,  thieves, 
yea,  to  the  despisers  and  reproachers  of  the  holy 
way  of  salvation. 


CO  ACALLTO 

We  are  commanded  by  our  Lord  and  Master  to 
offer  you  a  pardon  for  all  that  is  past,  if  you  will 
but  now  at  last  return  and  live ;  we  are  commanded 
to  beseech  and  entreat  you  to  accept  the  offer,  and 
return;  to  tell  you  what  preparation  is  made  by 
Christ ;  what  mercy  stays  for  you ;  what  patience 
waiteth  on  you;  what  thoughts  of  kindness  God 
hath  towards  you ;  and  how  happy,  how  certainly 
and  unspeakably  happy  you  may  be  if  you  will. 
We  have  indeed  also  a  message  o^  wrath  and  death, 
yea,  of  a  twofold  wrath  and  death ;  but  neither  of 
them  is  our  principal  message.  We  must  tell  you 
of  the  wrath  that  is  on  you  already,  and  the  death 
that  you  are  born  under,  for  the  breach  of  the  law 
of  works ;  but  this  is  only  to  show  you  the  need  of 
mercy,  and  to  provoke  you  to  esteem  the  grace  of 
the  Redeemer.  And  we  tell  you  nothing  but  the 
truth,  which  you  must  know ;  for  Who  will  seek  for 
physic  that  knows  not  that  he  is  sick  ?  Our  telling 
you  of  your  misery  is  not  that  which  makes  you 
miserable,  but  would  drive  you  to  seek  for  mercy. 
It  is  you  that  have  brought  this  death  upon  your- 
selves. We  tell  you  also  of  another  death,  even 
remediless,  and  much  greater  torment,  that  will  fall 
on  those  who  will  not  be  converted. 

But  as  this  is  true,  and  must  be  told  you,  so  it  is 
but  the  last  and  saddest  part  of  our  message.  We 
are  first  to  offer  you  mercy,  if  you  will  turn  ;  and  it 
is  only  those  that  will  not  turn,  nor  hear  the  voice 


THE   UN  CONVERTED  Q{ 

of  mercy,  to  whom  we  must  foretell  damnation.  If 
you  will  but  cast  away  your  transgressions,  if  you 
will  delay  no  longer,  b"ut  come  away  at  the  call  of 
Christ,  and  be  converted,  and  become  new  creatures, 
we  have  not  a  word  of  damning  wrath  or  death  to 
speak  against  you.  I  do  here,  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  of  life,  proclaim  to  you  all  that  hear  me  this 
day,  to  the  worst  of  you,  to  the  greatest,  to  the  old- 
est sinner,  that  you  may  have  mercy  and  salvation, 
if  you  will  but  turn.  There  is  mercy  in  God,  there 
is  sufficiency  in  the  satisfaction  of  Christ,  the  prom- 
ise is  free,  and  full,  and  universal;  you  may  have 
life,  if  you  will  but  turn.  But  then,  as  you  love  your 
souls,  remember  what  turning  it  is  that  the  Scripture 
speaks  of.  It  is  not  to  mend  the  old  house,  but  to 
pull  down  all,  and  build  anew  on  Christ,  the  Rock 
and  sure  foundation.  It  is  not  to  mend  somewhat 
in  a  carnal  course  of  life,  but  to  mortify  the  flesh  and 
live  after  the  Spirit.  It  is  not  to  serve  the  flesh 
and  the  world  in  a  more  reformed  way,  without  any 
scandalous  disgraceful  sins,  and  with  a  certain  kind 
of  religiousness ;  but  it  is .  to  change  your  master, 
and  your  works,  and  end ;  and  to  set  your  face  the 
contrary  way,  and  do  all  for  the  life  that  you  never 
1  saw,  and  dedicate  yourselves  and  all  you  have  to 
God.  This  is  the  change  that  must  be  made,  if  you 
will  live. 

Yourselves  are  witnesses  now,  that  it  is  salvation, 
and  not  damnation,  that  is  the  great  doctrine  I  preach 


0"2  ACALLTO 

to  you,  and  ihe  first  part  of  my  message  to  you. 
Accept  of  this,  and  we  shall  go  no  farther  with  you ; 
for  we  would  not  so  much  as  affright  or  trouble  you 
with  the  name  of  damnation  without  necessity. 

But  if  you  will  not  be  saved,  there  is  no  remedy, 
but  damnation  must  take  place  ;  for  there  is  no  mid- 
dle place  between  the  two ;  you  must  have  either 
life  or  death. 

And  we  are  not  only  to  offer  you  life,  but  to  show 
you  the  grounds  on  which  we  do  it,  and  call  you  to 
believe  that  God  doth  mean,  indeed,  as  he  speaks , 
that  the  promise  is  true,  and  extendeth  conditionally 
to  you,  as  well  as  others  ;  and  that  heaven  is  no 
fancy,  but  a  true  felicity. 

If  you  ask,  Where  is  our  commission  for  this  offer  ? 
Among  a  hundred  texts  of  Scripture,  I  will  show  it 
to  you  in  these  few : 

You  see  it  here  in  my  text  and  the  following 
verses,  and  in  the  18th  of  Ezekiel,  as  plain  as  can 
be  spoken;  and  in  2  Cor.  5  :  17-21,  you  have  the 
very  sum  of  our  commission :  "If  any  man  be  in 
Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature  :  old  things  are  passed 
away ;  behold,  all  things  are  become  new.  And  all 
things  are  of  God,  who  hath  reconciled  us  to  him- 
self by  Jesus  Christ,  and  hath  given  to  us  the  min-  ■ 
istry  of  reconciliation ;  to  wit,  that  God  was  in  Christ, 
reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their 
trespasses  to  them  ;  and  hath  committed  unto  us  the 
word  of  reconciliation.     Now,  then,  we  are  ambassa- 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  63 

dors  for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by 
us :  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled 
unto  God.  For  he  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us, 
who  knew  no  sin ;  that  we  might  be  made  the  right- 
eousness of  God  in  him."  So  Mark  16:15,  16: 
"  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  Gospel 
to  every  creature.  He  that  believeth,',  that  is,  with 
such  a  converting  faith  as  is  expressed,  "  and  is  bap- 
tized, shall  be  saved  ;  and  he  that  believeth  not,  shall 
be  damned.',  And  Luke  24  :  46,  47  :  "  Thus  it  be- 
hooved Christ  to  suffer,  and  to  rise  from  the  dead  the 
third  day;  and  that  repentance,"  which  is  conver- 
sion, "  and  remission  of  sins  should  be  preached  in 
his  name  among  all  nations."  And  Acts  5  :  30,  31 : 
"  The  God  of  our  fathers  raised  up  Jesus,  whom  ye 
slew  and  hanged  on  a  tree  :  him  hath  God  exalted 
with  his  right  hand  to  be  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour, 
to  give  repentance  to  Israel,  and  forgiveness  of  sins." 
And  Acts  13:38, 39:  "Be  it  known  unto  you  there- 
fore, men  and  brethren,  that  through  this  Man  is 
preached  unto  you  the  forgiveness  of  sins ;  and  by 
him  all  that  believe  are  justified  from  all  things,  from 
which  ye  could  not  be  justified  by  the  law  of  Moses." 
And  lest  you  think  this  offer  is  restrained  to  the 
Jews,  see  Gal.  6:15:  "  For  in  Christ  Jesus  neither 
circumcision  availeth  any  thing,  nor  uncircumcision, 
but  a  new  creature."  And  Luke  14  :  17 :  "  Come, 
for  all  things  are  now  ready." 

You  see  by  this  time  that  we  are  commanded  to 


G4  A   CALL  TO 

offer  life  to  you  all,  and  to  tell  you  from  God,  that 
if  you  will  turn,  you  may  live. 

Here  you  may  safely  trust  your  souls ;  for  the 
lore  of  God  is  the  foundation  of  this  offer,  John 
3  :  16,  and  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God  haih  pur- 
chased it ;  the  faithfulness  and  truth  of  God  is  en- 
gaged to  make  the  promise  good  ;  miracles  oft  sealed 
the  truth  of  it ;  preachers  are  sent  through  the 
world  to  proclaim  it ;  and  the  Spirit  doth  open  the 
heart  to  entertain  it,  and  is  itself  the  earnest  of  the 
full  possession :  so  that  the  truth  of  it  is  past  con- 
troversy, that  the  worst  of  you  all,  and  every  one 
of  you,  if  you  will  but  be  converted,  may  be  saved. 

Indeed,  if  you  will  believe  that  you  shall  be  saved 
without  conversion,  then  you  believe  a  falsehood : 
and  if  I  should  preach  that  to  you,  I  should  preach 
a  lie.  This  were  not  to  believe  God,  but  the  devil 
and  your  own  deceitful  hearts.  God  hath  his  prom- 
ise of  life,  and  the  devil  hath  his  promise  of  life. 
God's  promise  is,  Turn  and  live.  The  devil's  prom- 
ise is,  you  shall  live  whether  you  turn  or  not.  The 
words  of  God  are,  as  I  have  showed  you,  "  Except 
ye  be  converted,  and  become  as  little  children,  ye 
cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  Matt. 
18:3.  "Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  John  3  :  3,  5. 
"  Without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord." 
Heb.  12:14.  The  devil's  word  is,  "  You  may  be 
saved  without  being  born  again  and  converted ;  you 


THE   UNCONVERTED.  bj 

may  get  to  heaven  well  enough  without  being  holy, 
God  doth  but  frighten  you;  he  is  more  merciful 
lhan  to  do  as  he  saith,  he  will  be  better  to  you  than 
his  word."  And,  alas,  the  greatest  part  of  the  world 
believe  this  word  of  the  devil  before  the  word  of 
God  ;  just  as  our  sin  and  misery  first  came  into  the 
world.  God  said  to  our  first  parents,  "If  ye  eat, 
ye  shall  die ;"  and  the  devil  contradicted  him,  and 
said,  "Ye  shall  not  die:"  and  the  woman  believed 
the  devil  before  God.  So  now  the  Lord  saith,  Turn, 
or  die :  and  the  devil  saith,  You  shall  not  die,  if  you 
do  but  cry  for  God's  mercy  at  last,  and  give  over 
the  acts  of  sin  when  you  can  practise  it  no  longer. 
And  this  is  the  word  that  the  world  believes.  O 
heinous  wickedness,  to  believe  the  devil  before  God. 
And  yet  that  is  not  the  worst ;  but  blasphemously 
they  call  this  believing  and  trusting  in  God,  when 
they  put  him  in  the  shape  of  Satan,  who  was  a  liar 
from  the  beginning ;  and  when  they  believe  that  the 
word  of  God  is  a  lie,  they  call  this  trusting  God, 
and  say  they  believe  in  him,  and  trust  in  him  foi 
salvation.  Where  did  ever  God  say  that  the  unre- 
generate,  unconverted,  unsanctified,  shall  be  saved  ? 
Show  me  such  a  word  in  Scripture.  I  challenge 
,  you  to  do  it.  Why,  this  is  the  devil's  word,  and  to 
believe  it  is  to  believe  the  devil,  and  is  the  sin  that 
is  commonly  called  presumption;  and  do  you  call 
this  believing  and  trusting  in  God  ?  There  is  enough 
in  the  word  of  God  to  comfort  and  strengthen  the 


Gfl  A    CALL   TO 

hearts  of  the  sanctified,  but  not  a  word  to  strengthen 
the  hands  of  wickedness,  nor  to  give  men  the  least 
hope  of  being  saved  though  they  be  never  sanctified. 
But  if  you  will  turn,  and  come  into  the  way  of 
mercy,  the  mercy  of  the  Lord  is  ready  to  entertain 
you.  Then  trust  in  God  for  salvation,  boldly  and 
confidently ;  for  he  is  engaged  by  his  word  to  save 
you.  He  will  be  a  father  to  none  but  his  children ; 
and  he  will  save  none  but  those  that  forsake  the 
world,  the  devil,  and  the  flesh,  and  come  into  his 
family  to  be  members  of  his  Son,  and  have  commun- 
ion with  his  saints.  But  if  they  will  not  come  in, 
it  is  the  fault  of  themselves :  his  doors  are  open ;  he 
keeps  none  back ;  he  never  sent  such  a  message  as 
this  to  any  of  you :  "  It  is  now  too  late ;  I  will  not 
receive  thee,  though  thou  be  converted.''  He  might 
have  done  so  and  done  you  no  wrong ;  but  he  did 
not ;  he  doth  not  to  this  day.  He  is  still  ready  to 
receive  you,  if  you  were  but  readv  unfeignedly,  and 
with  all  your  hearts,  to  turn.  And  the  fulness  of 
this  truth  will  yet  more  appear  in  the  two  following 
doctrines,  to  which  I  shall  therefore  next  proceed 
before  I  make  any  further  application  of  this. 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  07 

DOCTRINE  III. 

God  taketli  pleasure  in  men's  conversion  and  salvation,  but 
not  in  their  death  or  damnation.  He  had  rather  they  would 
turn  and  live,  than  go  on  and  die. 

"  The  Lord  is  long-suffering  to  us-ward,"  says  tha 
apostle,  "not  willing  that  any  should  perish,  but 
that  all  should  come  to  repentance.''  2  Pet.  3  :  9. 
He  unfeignedly  willeth  the  conversion  of  all  men, 
even  of  those  that  never  will  be  converted,  but  not 
as  absolute  Lord  with  the  fullest  efficacious  resolu- 
tion, nor  as  a  thing  which  he  resolveth  shall  un- 
doubtedly come  to  pass,  or  would  engage  all  his 
power  to  accomplish.  It  is  in  the  power  of  a  prince 
to  set  a  guard  upon  a  murderer,  to  see  that  he  shall 
not  murder,  and  be  hanged ;  but  if,  upon  good  rea- 
son, he  forbear  this,  and  do  but  send  to  his  subjects 
to  warn  2nd  entreat  them  not  to  be  murderers,  he 
may  well  say  that  he  would  not  have  them  murder 
and  be  hanged  ;  he  takes  no  pleasure  in  it,  but  rather 
that  they  forbear  and  live,  and  if  he  do  more  for 
some  upon  some  special  reason,  he  is  not  bound  to 
do  so  by  all.  The  king  may  well  say  to  all  murder- 
ers and  felons  in  the  land,  "  I  have  no  pleasure  in 
your  death,  but  rather  that  you  would  obey  my  laws 
and  live ;  but  if  you  will  not,  I  am  resolved,  for  all 
this,  that  you  shall  die."  The  judge  may  truly  say 
to  the  murderer,  "Alas,  I  have  no  delight  in  thy 
death ;  I  had  rather  thou  hadst  kept  the  law  and 


m  A    CALL    TO 

saved  thy  life  ;  but  seeing  thou  liast  not,  I  must  con- 
demn thee,  or  else  I  should  be  unjust." 

So,  though  God  have  no  pleasure  in  your  damna- 
tion, and  therefore  calls  upon  you  to  return  and  live, 
yet  he  hath  pleasure  in  the  demonstration  of  his  own 
justice  and  the  execution  of  his  laws ;  and  therefore 
he  is,  for  all  this,  fully  resolved,  that  if  you  will  not 
be  converted,  you  shall  be  condemned.  If  God  was 
so  much  against  the  death  of  the  wicked  as  that  he 
were  resolved  to  do  all  that  he  can  to  hinder  it,  then 
no  man  should  be  condemned ;  whereas  Christ  tell- 
eth  you,  that  "  narrow  is  the  way  that  leadeth  unto 
life,  and  few  there  be  that  find  it."  But  so  far  God 
is  opposed  to  your  damnation  as  that  he  will  teach 
you,  and  warn  you,  and  set  before  you  life  and  death, 
and  offer  you  your  choice,  and  command  his  minis- 
ters to  entreat  you  not  to  destroy  yourselves,  but 
accept  his  mercy,  and  so  to  leave  you  without  ex- 
cuse. But  if  this  will  not  do,  and  if  still  you  be 
unconverted,  he  professeth  to  you  that  he  is  resolved 
on  your  damnation,  and  hath  commanded  us  to  say 
to  you  in  his  name,  verse  8,  "  0  wicked  man,  thou 
shalt  surely  die  !"  And  Christ  hath  little  less  than 
sworn  it,  over  and  over,  with  a  "  verily,  verily,"  that 
except  you  be  converted  and  born  again,  ye  cannot 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Matt.  18:3; 
John  3  :  3.  Mark  that  he  saith,  "you  cannot."  It 
is  in  vain  to  hope  for  it,  and  in  vain  to  dream  that 
God  is  willing  for  it ;  for  it  is  a  thing  that  cannot  be. 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  69 

In  a  word,  you  see  the  meaning  of  the  text,  that 
God,  the  great  Lawgiver  of  the  world,  doth  take  no 
pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked,  but  rather  that 
they  turn  and  live ;  though  yet  he  be  resolved  that 
none  shall  live  but  those  that  turn ;  and  as  a  judge, 
ever  delighteth  in  justice,  and  in  manifesting  his  ha- 
tred of  sin,  though  not  in  {he  misery  which  sinners 
have  brought  upon  themselves,  in  itself  considered. 

And  for  the  proofs  of  this  point,  I  shall  be  very 
brief  in  them,  because  I  suppose  you  easily  believe 
it  already. 

1.  The  very  gracious  nature  of  God  proclaimed, 
Exod.  34:6,  7,  "And  the  Lord  passed  by  before 
him,  and  proclaimed,  The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  mer- 
ciful and  gracious,  long-suffering,  and  abundant  in 
goodness  and  truth,  keeping  mercy  for  thousands, 
forgiving  iniquity  and  transgression  and  sin,  and 
that  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty, "  and  many 
other  passages  may  assure  you  of  this,  that  he  hath 
no  pleasure  in  your  death. 

2.  If  God  had  more  pleasure  in  thy  death  than 
in  thy  conversion  and  life,  he  would  not  have  so  fre- 
quently commanded  thee  in  his  word  to  turn;  he 
would  not  have  made  thee  such  promises  of  life  if 
thou  wilt  but  turn ;  he  would  not  have  persuaded 
thee  to  it  by  so  many  reasons.  The  tenor  of  his 
Gospel  proveth  the  point. 

3.  And  his  commission  that  he  hath  given  to  the 
ministers  of  the  Gospel  doth  fully  prove  it.     If  God 


70  A   CALL   TO 

had  taken  more  pleasure  in  thy  damnation  than  in 
thy  conversion  and  salvation,  he  would  never  have 
charged  us  to  offer  you  mercy,  and  to  teach  you  the 
way  of  life,  both  publicly  and  privately  ;  and  to  en- 
treat and  beseech  you  to  turn  and  live  ;  to  acquaint 
you  with  your  sins  and  foretell  you  of  your  danger ; 
and  to  do  all  that  possibly  we  can  for  your  con- 
version, and  to  continue  patiently  so  doing,  though 
you  should  hate  or  abuse  us  for  our  pains.  Would 
God  have  done  this,  and  appointed  his  ordinances 
for  your  good,  if  he  had  taken  pleasure  in  youi 
death  ? 

4.  It  is  proved  also  by  the  course  of  his  provi- 
dence. If  God  had  rather  you  were  damned  than 
converted  and  saved,  he  would  not  second  his  word 
with  his  works,  and  entice  you,  by  his  daily  kindness, 
to  himself,  and  give  you  all  the  mercies  of  this  life, 
which  are  means  "to  lead  you  to  repentance,"  Rom. 
2  :  4,  and  bring  you  so  often  under  his  rod,  to  bring 
you  to  your  senses ;  he  would  not  set  so  many  ex- 
amples before  your  eyes,  no,  nor  wait  on  you  so  pa- 
tiently as  he  does  from  day  to  day  and  year  to  year. 
These  are  not  signs  of  one  that  taketh  pleasure  in 
your  death.  If  this  had  been  his  delight,  how  easily 
could  he  have  had  thee  long  ago  in.  hell !  How  oft, 
before  this,  could  he  have  cut  thee  down  in  the  midst 
of  thy  sins  with  a  curse,  or  oath,  or  lie  in  thy  mouth, 
in  thy  ignorance,  and  pride,  and  sensuality !  When 
thou  wert  last  in  thy  drunkenness,  or  last  deriding 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  tl 

• 

tlie  ways  of  God,  how  easily  could  lie  have  stopped 
thy  breath,  and  tamed  thee  with  his  plagues,  and 
made  thee  sober  in  another  world  !  Alas  !  how 
small  a  matter  is  it  for  the  Almighty  to  silenoe  the 
tongue  of  the  profanest  railer,  and  tie  the  hands  of 
the  most  malicious  persecutor,  or  calm  the  fury  of 
the  bitterest  of  his  enemies,  and  make  them  know 
that  they  are  but  worms. 

If  he  should  but  frown  upon  thee  thou  wouldst 
drop  into  thy  grave.  If  he  gave  commission  to  one 
of  his  angels  to  go  and  destroy  ten  thousand  sinners, 
how  quickly  would  it  be  done  !  How  easily  can  he 
lay  thee  upon  the  bed  of  languishing,  and  make  thee 
lie  groaning  there  in  pain,  and  make  thee  eat  the 
words  of  reproach  which  thou  hast  spoken  against 
his  servants,  his  word,  his  worship,  and  his  holy  ways, 
and  make  thee  send  to  beg  their  prayers  whom  thou 
didst  despise  in  thy  presumption  !  How  easily  can 
he  lay  that  flesh  under  pains  and  groans,  and  make 
it  too  weak  to  hold  thy  soul,  and  make  it  more  loath- 
some than  the  dung  of  the  earth  !  That  flesh  which 
now  must  have  what  it  loves,  and  must  not  be  dis- 
pleased though  God  be  displeased ;  and  must  be 
humored  in  meat,  and  drink,  and  clothes,  whatever 
God  say  to  the  contrary,  how  quickly  would  the 
frowns  of  God  consume  it !  When  thou  wast  pas- 
sionately defending  thy  sin,  and  quarrelling  with  them 
that  would  have  drawn  thee  from  it,  and  showing 
thy  spleen  against  the  reprover,  and  pleading  foi 


72  a  caIl  to 

• 

the  works  of  darkness;  how  easily  could  God  have 
snatched  thee  away  in  a  moment,  and  set  thee  be- 
fore his  dreadful  Majesty,  where  thou  shouldst  see 
ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  glorious  angels 
waiting  on  his  throne,  and  have  called  thee  there  to 
plead  thy  cause,  and  asked  thee  "  "What  hast  thou 
now  to  say  against  thy  Creator,  his  truth,  his  servants, 
or  his  holy  ways  ?  Now  plead  thy  cause,  and  make 
the  best  of  it  thou  canst.  Now  what  canst  thou  say 
in  excuse  of  thy  sins?  Now  give  account  of  thy 
worldliness  and  fleshly  life,  of  thy  time,  of  all  the 
mercies  thou  hast  had."  0  how  thy  stubborn  heart 
would  have  melted,  and  thy  proud  looks  be  taken 
down,  and  thy  countenance  be  appalled,  and  thy 
stout  words  turned  into  speechless  silence,  or  dread- 
ful cries,  if  God  had  but  set  thee  thus  at  his  bar,  and 
pleaded  his  own  cause  with  thee,  which  thou  hast 
here  so  maliciously  pleaded  against!  How  easily 
can  he  at  any  time  say  to  thy  guilty  soul,  Come 
away,  and  live  in  that  flesh  no  more  till  the  resurrec- 
tion, and  it  cannot  resist!  A  word  of  his  mouth 
would  take  off  the  poise  of  thy  present  life,  and  then 
all  thy  parts  and  powers  would  stand  still ;  and  if 
he  say  unto  thee,  Live  no  longer,  or,  Live  in  hell, 
thou  couldst  not  disobey. 

But  God  hath  yet  done  none  of  this,  but  hath  pa- 
tiently forborne  thee,  and  mercifully  upheld  thee,  and 
given  thee  that  breath  which  thou  didst  breathe  out 
against  him,  and  given  those  mercies  which  thou  dids' 


THE   UNCONVERTED.  73 

sacrifice  to  thy  flesh,  and  afforded  thee  that  provision 
which  thou  didst  use  to  satisfy  thy  greedy  throat : 
he  gave  thee  every  minute  of  that  time  which  thou 
didst  waste  in  idleness,  or  drunkenness,  or  worldli- 
ness  ;  and  doth  not  all  his  patience  and  mercy  show 
that  he  desired  not  thy  damnation  ?  Can  the  candle 
burn  without  the  oil  ?  Can  your  houses  stand  with- 
out the  earth  to  bear  them  ?  No  more  can  you  live 
an  hour  without  the  support  of  God.  And  why  did 
he  so  long  support  thy  life,  but  to  see  when  thou 
wouldst  bethink  thee  of  the  folly  of  thy  ways,  and 
return  and  live  ?  Will  any  man  purposely  put  arms 
into  his  enemy's  hands  to  resist  him,  or  hold  a  can- 
dle to  a  murderer  that  is  killing  his  children,  or  to  an 
,  idle  servant  that  plays  or  sleeps  the  while  ?  Surely 
it  is  to  see  whether  thou  wilt  at  last  return  and  live, 
that  God  hath  so  long  waited  on  thee. 

5.  It  is  further  proved  by  the  sufferings  of  his 
Son,  that  God  taketh  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the 
wicked.  Would  he  have  ransomed  them  from  death 
at  so  dear  a  rate?  Would  he  have. astonished  an- 
gels and  men  by  his  condescension  ?  Would  God 
have  dwelt  in  flesh,  and  have  come  in  the  form  of  a 
servant,  and  have  assumed  humanity  into  one  per- 
son with  the  Godhead  ;  and  would  Christ  have  lived 
a  life  of  suffering,  and  died  a  cursed  death  for  sin- 
ners, if  he  had  rather  taken  pleasure  in  their  death  ? 
Suppose  you  saw  him  but  so  busy  in  preaching  and 
healing  of  them,  as  you  find  him  in  Murk  3:21;  or 


74  A   CALL  TO 

so  long  in  fasting,  as  in  Matt.  4 ;  or  all  night  in 
prayer,  as  in  Luke  6:12;  or  praying  with  drops  of 
blood  trickling  from  him  instead  of  sweat,  as  Luke 
22  :  24  ;  or  suffering  a  cursed  death  upon  the  cross, 
and  pouring  out  his  soul  as  a  sacrifice  for  our  sins — 
would  you  have  thought  these  the  signs  of  one  that 
delighted  in  the  death  of  the  wicked  ? 

And  think  not  to  extenuate  it  by  saying  that  it 
was  only  for  his  elect :  for  it  was  thy  sin,  and  the 
sin  of  all  the  world,  that  lay  upon  our  Redeemer ; 
and  his  sacrifice  and  satisfaction  is  sufficient  for  all, 
and  the  fruits  of  it  are  offered  to  one  as  well  as  an- 
other. But  it  is  true,  that  it  was  never  the  intent 
of  his  mind  to  pardon  and  save  any  that  would  not, 
by  faith  and  repentance,  be  converted.  If  you  had . 
seen  and  heard  him  weeping  and  bemoaning  the  state 
of  disobedience  in  impenitent  people,  Luke  19  :  41, 
42,  "  And  when  he  was  come  near,  he  beheld  the 
city,  and  wept  over  it,  saying,  If  thou  hadst  known, 
even  thou,  at  least  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which 
belong  unto  thy  peace !  but  now  they  are  hid  from 
thine  eyes" — or  complaining  of  their  stubbornness, 
as  Matt.  23  :  37,  "  0  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  how  often 
would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  together,  even 
as  a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under  her  wings, 
and  ye  would  not!"  or  if  you  had  seen  and  heard 
him  on  the  cross,  praying  for  his  persecutors,  "  Fa- 
ther, forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do," 
would  you  have  suspected  that  he  had  delighted  in 


THE   UNCONVERTED.  15 

the  death  of  the  wicked,  even  of  those  that  perish 
by  their  wilful  unbelief?  When  God  hath  so  loved 
the  world — not  only  loved,  but  so  loved — as  to  give 
his  only-begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in 
him,  by  an  effectual  faith,  should  not  perish,  but 
have  everlasting  life,  I  think  he  hath  hereby  proved, 
against  the  malice  of  men  and  devils,  that  he  takes 
no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked,  but  had 
rather  that  they  would  "turn  and  live." 

6.  If  all  this  will  not  yet  satisfy  you,  take  His 
own  word  that  he  knoweth  best  his  own  mind,  or  at 
least  believe  his  oath:  but  this  leads  me  to  the 
fourth  doctrine. 


DOCTRINE  IV. 

The  Lord  hath  confirmed  it  to  as  by  his  Oath,  that  he  hath  no 
pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked,  but  rather  that  he  turn 
and  live  ;  that  he  may  leave  man  no  pretence  to  question 
the  truth  of  it. 

If  you  dare  question  his  word,  I  hope  you  dare 
not  question  his  oath.  As  Christ  hath  solemnly  pro- 
tested that  the  unregenerate  and  unconverted  cannot 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  Matt.  18:3;  John 
3:3;  so  God  hath  sworn  that  his  pleasure  is  not  in 
their  death,  but  in  their  conversion  and  life.  And  as 
the  apostle  saith,  Heb.  6  :  16-18,  because  he  can 
swear  by  no  greater,  he  sware  by  himself.  "  For 
men  verily  swear  by  the  greater:  and  an  oath  for  con- 


76  A    CALL   TO 

firmation  is  to  them  an  end  of  strife.  Wherein  God, 
willing  more  abundantly  to  show  unto  the  heirs  of 
promise  the  immutability  of  his  counsel,  confirmed 
it  by  an  oath ;  that  by  two  immutable  things,  in 
which  it  was  impossible  for  God  to  lie,  we  might 
have  strong  consolation,  who  have  fled  for  refuge  to 
lay  hold  on  the  hope  set  before  us ;  which  hope  we 
have  as  an  anchor  of  the  soul,  both  sure  and  stead- 
fast." If  there  be  any  man  that  cannot  reconcile 
this  truth  with  the  doctrine  of  predestination,  or  the 
actual  damnation  of  the  wicked,  that  is  his  own 
ignorance ;  he  hath  no  pretence  left  to  question  or 
deny  therefore  the  truth  of  the  point  in  hand  ;  for 
this  is  confirmed  by  the  oath  of  God,  and  therefore 
must  not  be  distorted,  to  reduce  it  to  other  points  : 
but  doubtful  points  must  rather  be  reduced  to  it, 
and  certain  truths  must  be  believed  to  agree  with  it, 
though  our  shallow  minds  hardly  discern  the  agree- 
ment. 

I  do  now  entreat  thee,  if  thou  be  an  unconverted 
sinner  that  hearest  these  words,  that  thou  wouldst 
ponder  a  little  upon  the  forementioned  doctrines, 
and  bethink  thyself  awhile  who  it  is  that  takes  pleas- 
ure in  thy  sin  and  damnation.  Certainly  it  is  not 
God ;  he  hath  sworn  for  his  part  that  he  takes  no 
pleasure  in  it.  And  I  know  it  is  not  the  pleasing 
of  him  that  you  intend.  You  dare  not  say  that 
you  drink,  and  swear,  and  neglect  holy  duties,  and 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  77 

quench  the  motions  of  the  Spirit  to  please  God. 
That  were  as  if  you  should  reproach  the  prince,  and 
break  his  laws,  and  seek  his  death,  and  say  you  did 
all  this  to  please  him. 

Who  is  it,  then,  that  takes  pleasure  in  your  sin  and 
death  ?  Not  any  that  bear  the  image  of  God,  for 
they  must  be  like-minded  to  him.  God  knows,  it  is 
small  pleasure  to  your  faithful  teachers  to  see  you 
serve  your  deadly  enemy,  and  madly  venture  your 
eternal  state  and  wilfully  run  into  the  flames  of  hell . 
It  is  small  pleasure  to  them  to  see  upon  your  souls 
(in  the  sad  effects)  such  blindness,  and  hard-l^eart- 
edness,  and  carelessness,  and  presumption ;  such 
wilfulness  in  evil,  and  such  unteachableness  and  ob- 
stinacy against  the  ways  of  life  and  peace.  They 
know  these  are  marks  of  death,  and  of  the  wrath  of 
God,  and  they  know,  from  the  word  of  God,  what 
is  like  to  be  the  end  of  them,  and  therefore  it  is  no 
more  pleasure  to  them  than  to  a  tender  physician  to 
see  the  plague-marks  broke  out  upon  his  patient. 
Alas,  to  foresee  your  everlasting  torments,  and  know 
not  how  to  prevent  them  !  To  see  how  near  you  are 
to  hell,  and  we  cannot  make  you  believe  it  and  con- 
sider it.  To  see  how  easily,  how  certainly  you 
might  escape,  if  we  knew  but  how  to  make  you 
willing.  How  fair  you  are  for  everlasting  salvation, 
If  you  would  but  turn  and  do  your  best,  and  make 
it  the  care  and  business  of  your  lives  !  But  you  will 
not  do  it :  if  our  lives  lay  on  it,  we  cannot  persuado 


78  A    CALL   TO 

you  to  it.  We  study  day  and  night  what  to  say  to 
you  that  may  convince  and  persuade  you,  and  yet  it 
is  undone :  we  lay  before  you  the  word  of  God,  and 
show  you  the  very  chapter  and  verse  where  it  is 
written,  that  you  cannot  be  saved  except  you  be 
converted ;  and  yet  we  leave  the  most  of  you  as  we 
find  you.  We  hope  you  will  believe  the  word  of 
God  though  you  believe  not  us,  and  regard  it  when 
we  show  you  the  plain  Scripture  for  it ;  but  we  hope 
in  vain,  and  labor  in  vain,  as  to  any  saving  change 
upon  your  hearts  !  And  do  you  think  that  this  is  a 
pleasant  thing  to  us  ?  Many  a  time,  in  secret  prayer, 
we  complain  to  God  with  sad  hearts, 

"Alas,  Lord,  we  have  spoken  to  them  in  thy 
name,  but  they  little  regard  us ;  we  have  told  them 
what  thou  bidst  us  tell  them  concerning  the  danger 
of  an  unconverted  state,  but  they  do  not  believe  us : 
we  have  told  them  that  thou  hast  protested  that 
there  is  no  peace  to  the  wicked,  Isa.  51 :  21  ;  but 
the  worst  of  them  all  will  scarcely  believe  that  they 
are  wicked.  We  have  showed  them  thy  w^ord,  where 
thou  hast  said,  that  if  they  live  after  the  flesh  they 
shall  die,  Rom.  8:13;  but  they  say  they  will  believe 
in  thee,  when  they  will  not  believe  thee ;  and  that 
they  will  trust  in  thee,  when  they  give  no  credit  to 
thy  word ;  and  when  they  hope  that  the  threaten- 
ings  of  thy  word  are  false,  they  will  yet  call  this  a 
hoping  in  God ;  and  though  wre  show  them  where 
thou  hast  said,  that  when  a  wicked  man  dieth,  all 


THE    UNCONVERTED  79 

his  hopes  perish,  yet  we  cannot  persuade  ihem  from 
their  deceitful  hopes.  Prov.  11:7.  We  tell  them 
what  a  base,  unprofitable  thing  sin  is  ;  but  they  love 
it,  and  therefore  will  not  leave  it.  We  tell  them  how 
dear  they  buy  this  pleasure,  and  what  they  must  pay 
for  it  in  everlasting  torment :  and  they  bless  them- 
,  selves,  and  will  not  believe  it,  but  will  do  as  the  most 
do ;  and  because  God  is  merciful  they  will  not  be- 
lieve him,  but  will  venture  their  souls,  come  what 
will.  We  tell  them  how  ready  the  Lord  is  to  receive 
them,  and  this  doth  but  make  them  delay  their  re- 
pentance and  be  bolder  in  their  sin.  Some  of  them 
say  they  purpose  to  repent,  but  they  are  still  the 
same ;  and  some  say  they  do  repent  already,  while 
yet  they  are  not  converted  from  their  sins.  We  ex- 
hort them,  we  entreat  them,  we  offer  them  our  help, 
but  we  cannot  prevail  with  them ;  but  they  that 
were  drunkards,  are  drunkards  still ;  and  they  that 
were  voluptuous  flesh-pleasing  wretches,  are  such 
still ;  and  they  that  were  worldlings,  are  worldlings 
still ;  and  they  that  were  ignorant  and  proud  and 
self- conceited,  are  so  still.  Few  of  them  will  see 
and  confess  their  sin,  and  fewer  will  forsake  it,  but 
comfort  themselves  that  all  men  are  sinners,  as  if  there 
were  no  difference  between  a  converted  sinner  and 
an  unconverted.  Some  of  them  will  not  come  near 
us  when  we  are  willing  to  instruct  them,  but  think 
they  know  enough  already,  and  need  not  our  instruc- 
tion ;  and  some  of  them  will  give  us  the  hearing,  and 


8G  A    CALL   TO 

do  what  they  list ;  and  most  of  them  are  like  dead 
men  that  cannot  feel ;  so  that  when  we  tell  them  of 
matters  of  everlasting  consequence,  we  cannot  get  a 
word  of  it  to  their  hearts.  If  we  do  not  obey  them, 
and  humor  them  in  doing  all  that  they  would  have 
us,  though  never  so  much  against  the  word  of  God, 
they  will  hate  us,  and  rail  at  us  ;  but  if  we  beseech 
them  to  confess,  -and  forsake  their  sins,  and  save 
their  souls,  they  will  not  do  it.  They  would  have 
us  disobey  God  and  damn  our  own  souls  to  please 
them ;  and  yet  they  will  not  turn  and  save  their  own 
souls  to  please  God.  They  are  wiser  in  their  own 
eyes  than  all  their  teachers ;  they  rage  and  are  con- 
fident in  their  own  way,  and  if  we  are  ever  so  anx- 
ious we  cannot  change  them.  Lord,  this  is  the  case 
of  our  miserable  neighbors,  and  we  cannot  help  it ; 
we  see  them  ready  to  drop  into  hell,  and  we  cannot 
help  it ;  we  know  if  they  would  unfeignedly  turn, 
they  might  be  saved,  but  we  cannot  persuade  them  ; 
if  we  would  beg  it  of  them  on  our  knees,  we  cannot 
persuade  them  to  it;  if  we  would  beg  it  of  them 
with  tears,  we  cannot  persuade  them ;  and  what 
more  can  we  do?" 

These  are  the  secret  complaints  and  moans  that 
many  a  poor  minister  is  compelled  to  make.  And 
do  you  think  that  he  hath  any  pleasure  in  this  ?  Is 
it,  a  pleasure  to  him  to  see  you  go  on  in  sin,  and 
cannot  stop  you  ?  to  see  you  so  miserable,  and  can- 
not so  much  as  make  you  sensible  of  it  ?  to  see  you 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  81 

merry  when  you  are  not  sure  to  be  an  hour  out  of 
hell  ?  to  think  what  you  must  for  ever  suffer,  be- 
cause you  will  not  turn  ?  and  to  think  what  an  ever- 
lasting life  of  glory  you  wilfully  despise  and  cast 
away  ?  What  sadder  thing  can  you  bring  to  their 
hearts,  and  how  can  you  devise  \o  grieve  them  more  ? 

Who  is  it,  then,  that  you  please  by  your  sin  and 
death  ?  It  is  none  of  your  godly  friends.  Alas,  it 
is  the  grief  of  their  souls  to  see  your  misery,  and 
they  lament  you  many  a  time  when  you  give  them 
little  thanks  for  it,  and  when  you  have  not  hearts  to 
lament  yourselves. 

Who  is  it,  then,  that  takes  pleasure  in  your  sin  ? 

1.  The  devil  indeed  takes  pleasure  in  your  sin  and 
death ;  for  this  is  the  very  end  of  all  his  temptations ; 
for  this  he  watches  night  and  day ;  you  cannot  de- 
vise to  please  him  better  than  to  go  on  in  sin.  How 
glad  is  he  when  he  sees  thee  going  into  the  alehouse, 
or  other  sin,  and  when  he  heareth  thee  curse,  or 
swear,  or  rail !  How  glad  is  he  when  he  heareth 
thee  revile  the  minister  that  would  draw  thee  from 
thy  sin  and  help  to  save  thee  !  these  are  his  delight. 

2.  The  wicked  are  also  delighted  in  it;  for  it  is 
agreeable  to  their  nature. 

3.  But  I  know,  for  all  this,  that  it  is  not  the  pleas- 
ing of  the  devil  that  you  intend,  even  when  you 
please  him ;  but  it  is  your  own  flesh,  the  greatest 
and  most  dangerous  enemy,  that  you  intend  to  please. 
It  is  the  flesh  that  would  be  pampered,  that  would 

B.  Call.  6 


62  A   CALL  TO 

be  pleased  in  meat,  and  drink,  and  ck thing;  that 
would  be  pleased  with  company,  and  pleased  in 
applause  and  credit  with  the  world,  and  pleased  in 
sports,  and  lusts,  and  idleness  ;  this  is  the  gulf  that 
devoureth  all.  This  is  the  very  god  that  you  serve, 
for  the  Scripture  saifch  of  such,  that  their  bellies  are 
their  god.  Phil.  3:19.  But  I  beseech  you,  stay  a 
little  and  consider  the  business. 

Question  1.  Should  your  flesh  be  pleased  before 
your  Maker  ?  Will  you  displease  the  Lord,  and 
displease  your  teacher,  and  your  godly  friends,  to 
please  your  brutish  appetites  or  sensual  desires  ?  Is 
not  God  worthy  to  be  the  ruler  of  your  flesh  ?  If  he 
shall  not  rule  it,  he  will  not  save  it ;  you  cannot  in 
reason  expect  that  he  should. 

Question  2.  Your  flesh  is  pleased  with  your  sin, 
but  is  your  conscience  pleased  ?  Djoth  not  it  grudge 
within  you,  and  tell  you  sometimes  that  all  is  not 
well,  and  that  your  case  is  not  so  safe  as  you  make 
it  to  be ;  and  should  not  your  souls  and  consciences 
be  pleased  before  your  corruptible  flesh  ? 

Question  3.  But  is  not  your  flesh  preparing  for 
its  own  displeasure  also?  It  loves  the  bait,  but 
doth  it  love  the  hook  ?  It  loves  the  strong  drink 
and  sweet  morsels  ;  it  loves  its  ease,  and  sports,  and 
merriment ;  it  loves  to  be  rich  and  well-spoken  of  by 
men,  and  to  be  somebody  in  the  world ;  but  doth 
it  love  the  curse  of  God  ?  Doth  it  love  to  stand 
trembling  before  his  bar,  and  to  be  judged  to  ever- 


THE    UNCONVERTED  83 

lasting  fire  ?  Doth  it  love  to  be  tormented  with  the 
devils  for  ever  ?  Take  all  together ;  for  there  is  no 
separating  sin  and  hell  but  only  by  faith  and  true 
conversion ;  if  you  will  keep  one,  you  must  have  the 
other.  If  death  and  hell  be  pleasant  to  thee,  no 
wonder  then  if  you  go  on  in  sin ;  but  if  they  be 
not,  as  I  am  sure  they  are  not,  then  what  if  sin 
were  ever  so  pleasant,  is  it  worth  the  loss  of  life 
eternal  ?  Is  a  little  drink,  or  meat,  or  ease  ;  is  the 
good  word  of  sinners,  is  the  riches  of  this  world  to 
be  valued  above  the  joys  of  heaven?  Or  are  they 
worth  the  sufferings  of  eternal  fire  ?  Sirs,  these 
questions  should  be  considered  before  you  go  any 
further,  by  every  man  that  hath  reason  to  consider, 
and  that  believes  he  hath  a  soul  to  save  or  lose. 

Well,  the  Lord  here  sweareth  that  he  hath  no 
pleasure  in  your  death,  but  rather  that  you  would 
turn  and  live ;  if  yet  you  will  go  on  and  die  rather 
than  turn,  remember  it  was  not  to  please  God  that 
you  did  it :  it  was  to  please  the  world,  and  to  please 
yourselves.  And  if  men  will  damn  themselves  to 
please  themselves,  and  run  into  endless  torments  for 
delight,  and  have  not  the  sense,  the  heart,  the  grace, 
to  hearken  to  God  or  man  that  would  reclaim  them, 
what  remedy  is  there,  but  they  must  take  what  they 
get  by  it,  and  repent  of  it  in  another  manner,  when 
it  is  too  late  ?  Before  I  proceed  any  further  in  the 
application  I  shall  consider  the  next  doctrine,  which 
gives  me  a  fuller  ground  for  it. 


64  A  CALL  TO 

DOCTRINE   V. 

So  earnest  is  God  for  the  conversion  of  sinners  that  he  d<nib< 
leth  his  commands  and  exhortations,  with  vehemency  — 
Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  why  will  ye  die  ? 

This  doctrine  is  the  application  of  the  former,  by 
way  of  exhortation,  and  as  such  I  shall  handle  it. 
Is  there  an  unconverted  sinner  that  heareth  these 
vehement  words  of  God  ?  Is  there  a  man  or  wo- 
man in  this  assembly  that  is  yet  a  stranger  to  the 
renewing,  sanctifying  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  It 
is  a  happy  assembly  if  it  be  not  so  with  the  .most. 
Hearken,  then,  to  the  voice  of  your  Maker,  and  turn 
to  him  by  Christ  without  delay.  Would  you  know 
the  will  of  God  ?  Why,  this  is  his  will,  that  you 
presently  turn.  Shall  the  living  God  send  so  ear- 
nest a  message  to  his  creatures,  and  should  they  not 
obey? 

Hearken,  then,  all  you  that  live  after  the  flesh  :  the 
Lord  that  gave  thee  thy  breath  and  being  hath  sent 
a  message  to  thee  from  heaven ;  and  this  is  his  mes- 
sage, Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  why  will  ye  die  ?  He  that 
hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear.  Shall  the  voice  of 
the  eternal  Majesty  be  neglected?  If  he  do  but 
terribly  thunder,  thou  art  afraid.  0  but  this  voice 
doth  more  nearly  concern  thee.  If  he  did  but  telJ 
thee  thou  shalt  die  to-morrow,  thou  wouldst  not 
make  light  of  it.     0  but  this  word  concerneth  thy 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  85 

life  or  deatL  everlasting.  It  is  both  a  command  and 
an  exhortation.  As  if  he  had  said  to  thee,  "  I  charge 
thee,  upon  the  allegiance  that  thou  owest  to  me,  thy 
Creator  and  Redeemer,  that  thou  renounce  the  flesh, 
the  world,  and  the  devil,  and  turn  to  me,  that  thou 
may  est  live.  I  condescend  to  entreat  tnee,  as  thou 
either  lovest  or  fearest  him  that  made  thee  ;  as  thou 
lovest  thine  own  life,  even  thine  everlasting  life,  turn 
and  live :  as  ever  thou  wouldst  escape  eternal  mis- 
ery, turn,  turn,  for  why  wilt  thou  die?"  And  is 
there  a  heart  in  man,  in  a  reasonable  creature,  that 
can  once  refuse  such  a  message,  such  a  command, 
such  an  exhortation  as  this  ?  O  what  a  thing,  then, 
is  the  heart  of  man  ! 

Hearken,  then,  all  ye  that  love  yourselves,  and  all 
that  regard  your  own  salvation  ;  here  is  the  most 
joyful  message  that  was  ever  sent  to  the  ears  of  man : 
"  Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  why  will  ye  die  ¥**  You  are  not 
yet  shut  up  under  desperation.  Here  is  mercy 
offered  you;  turn,  and  you  shall  have  it.  0  sirs, 
with  what  glad  and  joyful  hearts  should  you  receive 
these  tidings  !  I  know  this  is  not  the  first  time  that 
you  have  heard  it ;  but  how  have  you  regarded  it, 
or  how  do  you  regard  it  now  ?  Hear,  all  you  igno- 
rant, careless  sinners,  the  word  of  the  Lord.  Hear, 
all  you  worldlings,  you  sensual  flesh-pleasers  ;  you 
gluttons,  and  drunkards,  and  whoremongers,  and 
swearers ;  you  railers  and  backbiters,  slanderers  and 
liars — Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  why  will  ye  die? 


66  A    CALL   TO 

Hear,  all  you  cold  and  outside  professors,  and  all 
that  are  strangers  to  the  life  of  Christ,  and  never 
knew  the  power  of  his  cross  and  resurrection,  and 
never  felt  your  hearts  warmed  with  his  love,  and  live 
not  on  him  as  the  strength  of  your  souls — "  Turn 
ye,  turn  ye,  why  will  ye  die  ?" 

Hear,  all  that  are  void  of  the  love  of  God,  whose 
hearts  are  not  towards  him,  nor  taken  up  with  the 
hopes  of  glory,  but  who  set  more  by  your  earthly 
prosperity  and  delights  than  by  the  joys  of  heaven; 
all  you  that  are  religious  but  a  little  by  the  by,  and 
give  God  no  more  than  your  flesh  can  spare ;  'that 
have  not  denied  your  carnal  selves,  and  forsaken 
all  that  you  have  for  Christ,  in  the  estimation  and 
grounded  resolution  of  your  souls,  but  have  some 
one  thing  in  the  world  so  dear  to  you  that  you  can- 
not spare  it  for  Christ,  if  he  required  it,  but  will 
rather  venture  on  his  displeasure  than  forsake  it-^ 
"  Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  why  will  ye  die  ?" 

If  you  never  heard  it,  or  observed  it  before,  re- 
member that  you  were  told  from  the  word  of  God 
this  day,  that  if  you  will  but  turn,  you  may  live; 
find  if  you  will  not  turn,  you  shall  surely  die. 

What  now  will  you  do,  sirs  ?  What  is  your  reso- 
lution ?  Will  you  turn,  or  will  you  not  ?  Halt  not 
any  longer  between  two  opinions.  If  the  Lord  be 
God,  follow  him ;  if  your  flesh  be  God,  then  serve 
it  still.  If  heaven  be  better  than  earth  and  fleshly 
pleasures,  come  away,  then,  and  seek  a  better  coim- 


THE   UrtCON  VERTED.  87 

try,  and  lay  up  your  treasure  where  rust  and  moths 
do  not  corrupt,  and  thieves  cannot  break  through 
and  steal ;  and  be  awakened  at  last,  with  all  your 
might  to  seek  the  kingdom  that  cannot  be  moved, 
Heb.  12  :  28,  and  to  employ  your  lives  on  a  higher 
design,  and  turn  the  stream  of  your  cares  and  la- 
bors another  way  than  formerly  you  have  done. 
But  if  earth  be  better  than  heaven,  or  will  do  more 
for  you,  or  last  you  longer,  then  keep  it  and  make 
your  best  of  it,  and  follow  it  still.  Sirs,  are  you 
resolved  what  to  do  ?  If  you  be  not,  I  will  set  a 
few  more  moving  considerations  before  you,  to  see 
if  reason  will  make  you  resolve. 

I.  Consider  what  preparations  mercy  hath  made 
for  your  salvation  ;  and  what  pity  it  is  that  any  man 
should  be  damned  after  all  this.  The  time  was, 
when  the  flaming  sword  was  in  the  way,  and  the 
curse  of  God's  law  would  have  kept  thee  back  if 
thou  hadst  been  never  so  willing  to  turn  to  God. 
The  time  was  when  thyself,  and  all  the  friends  thai 
thou  hadst  in  the  world,  could  never  have  produced 
thee  the  pardon  of  thy  sins  past,  though  thou  hadst 
never  so  much  lamented  and  reformed  them.  But 
Christ  hath  removed  this  impediment,  by  the  ran- 
som of  his  blood.  The  time  was,  that  God  was 
wholly  unreconciled,  as  being  not  satisfied  for  the 
violation  of  his  law  ;  but  now  he  is  so  far  satisfied 
and  reconciled,  as  that  he  hath  made  thee  a  free  act 
of  oblivion,  and  a  fre^  4^d  of  the  gift  of  Christ  and 


88  ACALLTO 

life,  and  offereth  it  to  thee,  and  entreateth  thee  to 
accept  it;  and  it  may  be  thine  if  thou  wilt.  For 
"  he  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  to  himself, 
and  hath  committed  to  us  the  word  of  reconcilia- 
tion." 2  Cor.  5 :  18,  19.  Sinners,  we  too  are  com- 
manded to  deliver  this  message  to  you  all,  as  from 
the  Lord :  "  Come,  for  all  things  are  ready."  Luke 
14:17.  Are  all  things  ready,  and  are  you  unready  ? 
God  is  ready  to  entertain  you,  and  pardon  all  that 
you  have  done  against  him,  if  you  will  but  come. 
As  long  as  you  have  sinned,  as  wilfully  as  you  have 
sinned,  as  heinously  as  you  have  sinned,  he  is  ready 
to  cast  all  behind  his  back,  if  you  will  but  come. 
Though  you  have  been  prodigals,  and  run  away  from 
God,  and  have  stayed  away  so  long,  he  is  ready 
even  to  meet  you,  and  embrace  you  in  his  arms,  and 
rejoice  in  your  conversion,  if  you  will  but  turn. 
Even  the  worldlings  and  drunkards  will  find  God 
ready  to  bid  them  welcome,  if  they  will  but  come. 
Doth  not  this  turn  thy  heart  within  thee  ?  0  sin- 
ner !  if  thou  hadst  a  heart  of  flesh,  and  not  of  stone 
in  thee,  methinks  this  should  melt  it.  Shall  the 
dreadful  infinite  Majesty  of  heaven  even  wait  for  thy 
returning,  and  be  ready  to  receive  thee,  who  hast 
abused  him,  and  forgotten  him  so  long  ?  Shall  he 
delight  in  thy  conversion,  that  might  at  any  time 
glorify  his  justice  in  thy  damnation  ?  and  yet  doth  it 
not  melt  thy  heart  within  thee,  and  art  thou  not  yet 
ready  to  come  in  ?     Hast  thou  not  as  much  reason 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  89 

to  be  ready  to  come  as  God  hath  to  invite  thee  and 
bid  thee  welcome  ? 

But  that  is  not  all :.  Christ  hath  died  on  the  cross, 
and  made  such  a  way  for  thee  to  the  Father,  that, 
on  his  account,  thou  mayest  be  welcome,  if  thou 
wilt  come.     And  yet  art  thou  not  ready  ? 

A  pardon  is  already  expressly  granted,  and  offered 
thee  in  the  Gospel.     And  yet  art  thou  not  ready  ? 

The  ministers  of  the  Gospel  are  ready  to  assist 
thee,  to  instruct  thee,  pray  for  thee.  And  yet  art 
thou  not  ready  ? 

All  that  fear  God  about  thee  are  ready  to  rejoice 
in  thy  conversion,  and  to  receive  thee  into  the  com- 
munion of  saints,  and  to  give  thee  the  right  hand  of 
fellowship,  yea,  though  thou  hadst  been  one  that 
had  been  cast  out  of  their  society :  they  dare  not 
but  forgive  where  God  forgiveth,  when  it  is  manifest 
to  them  by  thy  confession  and  amendment ;  they 
dare  not  so  much  as  reproach  thee  with  thy  former 
sins,  because  they  know  that  God  will  not  upbraid 
thee  with  them.  If  thou  hadst  been  never  so  scan- 
dalous, if  thou  wouldst  but  heartily  be  converted 
and  come  in,  they  would  not  refuse  thee,  let  the 
world  say  what  they  would  against  it.  And  are  all 
these  ready  to  receive  thee,  and  yet  art  thou  not 
ready  to  come  in  ? 

Yea,  heaven  itself  is  ready :  the  Lord  will  receive 
thee  into  the  glory  of  his  saints.  Vile  as  thou  hast 
been,  if  thou  wilt  be  but  cleansed  thou  mayest  have 


90  ACALLTO 

a  place  before  his  throne ;  his  angels  will  be  ready 
to  guard  thy  soul  to  the  place  of  joy  if  thou  do  but 
unfeignedly  come  in.  And  is  God  ready,  the  sacri- 
fice of  Christ  ready,  the  promise  ready,  and  pardon 
ready  ?  Are  ministers  ready,  and  the  people  of  God 
ready,  and  heaven  itself  ready  ?  and  angels  ready  ? 
and  all  these  but  waiting  for  thy  conversion ;  and 
yet  art  thou  not  ready  ?  "What !  not  ready  to  live, 
when  thou  hast  been  dead  so  long  ?  not  ready  to 
come  to  thy  right  understanding,  as  the  prodigal  is 
said  to  "  come  to  himself,"  Luke  15  :  17,  when  thou 
hast  been  beside  thyself  so  long  ?  Not  ready  to  be 
saved,  when  thou  art  even  ready  to  be  condemned  ? 
Art  thou  not  ready  to  lay  hold  on  Christ,  that  would 
deliver  thee,  when  thou  art  even  ready  to  sink  into 
damnation  ?  Art  thou  not  ready  to  be  saved  from 
hell,  when  thou  art  even  ready  to  be  cast  remediless 
into  it  ?  Alas,  man  !  dost  thou  know  what  thou  do- 
est  ?  If  thou  die  unconverted  there  is  no  doubt  to 
be  made  of  thy  damnation  ;  and  thou  art  not  sure 
to  live  an  hour.  And  yet  art  thou  not  ready  to  turn 
and  to  come  in  ?  0  miserable  wretch  !  Hast  thou 
not  served  the  flesh  and  the  devil  long  enough  ?  Yet 
hast  thou  not  enough  of  sin  ?  Is  it  so  good  to  thee, 
or  so  profitable  for  thee  ?  Dost  thou  know  what  it 
is,  that  thou  wouldst  yet  have  more  of  it  ?  Hast, 
thou  had  so  many  calls,  and  so  many  mercies,  and 
so  many  warnings,  and  so  many  examples  ?  Hast 
thou  seen  so  many  laid  in  the  .grave,  and  yet  art 


THE   UMONVERTED.  91 

thou  not  ready  to  let  go  thy  sins  and  come  to  Christ  ? 
What,  after  so  many  convictions  and  pangs  of  con- 
science, after  so  many  purposes  and  promises,  art 
thou  not  yet  ready  to  turn  and  live  ?  0  that  thy 
eyes,  thy  heart  were  opened  to  know  how  fair  an 
offer  is  now  made  to  thee  !  and  what  a  joyful  mes- 
sage it  is  that  we  are  sent  on,  to  bid  thee  come,  for 
all  things  are  ready  ! 

II.  Consider  also,  what  calls  thou  hast  to  turn 
and  live.  How  many,  how  loud,  how  earnest,  how 
dreadful:  and  yet  what  encouraging,  joyful  calls! 
For  the  principal  inviter  is  God  himself.  He  that 
commandeth  heaven  and  earth,  commands  thee  to 
turn,  and  that  presently,  without  delay.  He  com- 
mands the  sun  to  run  its  course,  and  to  rise  upon 
thee  every  morning ;  and  though  it  be  so  glorious 
an  orb,  and  many  times  bigger  than  all  the  earth, 
yet  it  obeyeth  him,  and  faileth  not  one  minute  of  its 
appointed  time.  He  commandeth  all  the  planets 
and  the  orbs  of  heaven,  and  they  obey.  He  com- 
mandeth the  sea  to  ebb  and  flow,  and  the  whole 
creation  to  keep  its  course,  and  all  obey  him ;  the 
angels  of  heaven  obey  his  will,  when  he  sends  them 
to  minister  to  such  worms  as  we  on  earth,  Heb, 
1:14;  and  yet  if  he  command  but  a  sinner  to  turn, 
he  will  not  obey  him.  He  only  thinks  himself  wiser 
than  God,  and  he  cavils  and  pleads  the  cause  of  sin, 
and  will  not  obey.  If  the  Lord  Almighty  say  the 
word,  the  heavens  and  all  therein  obey  him;  but  if 


92  A   CALL  TO 

he  call  a  drunkard  out  of  an  alehouse,  he  will  not 
obey :  or  if  he  call  a  worldly,  fleshly  sinner  to  deny 
himself,  and  mortify  the  flesh,  and  set  his  heart  upon 
a  better  inheritance,  he  will  not  obey. 

If  thou  hadst  any  love  in  thee,  thou  wouldst  know 
the  voice,  and  say,  0  this  is  my  Father's  call !  how 
can  I  find  in  my  heart  to  disobey  ?  For  the  sheep 
of  Christ  "  know  and  hear  his  voice,  and  they  fol- 
low him,  and  he  giveth  them  eternal  life."  John 
10:4.  If  thou  hadst  any  spiritual  life  and  sense- in 
thee,  at  least  thou  wouldst  say,  "This  call  is  the 
dreadful  voice  of  God,  and  who  dare  disobey  ?  For 
saith  the  prophet,  '  Tihe  lion  hath  roared,  who  will 
not  fear  V  "  Amos  3  :  8.  God  is  not  a  man,  that 
thou  shouldst  dally  and  trifle  with  him.  Remember 
what  he  said  to  Paul  at  his  conversion,  "  It  is  hard 
for  thee  to  kick  against  the  pricks"  Acts  9:5. 
Wilt  thou  yet  go  on  and  despise  his  word,  and  resist 
his  Spirit,  and  stop  thine  ears  against  his  call  ?  who 
is  it  that  will  have  the  worst  of  this  ?  Dost  thou 
know  whom  thou  disobeyest,  and  contendest  with, 
and  what  thou  art  doing  ?  It  were  a  far  wiser  and 
easier  task  for  thee  to  contend  with  the  thorns,  and 
spurn  them  with  thy  bare  feet,  and  beat  them  with 
thy  bare  hands,  or  put  thy  head  into  the  burning 
fire.  "  Be  not  deceived ;  God  will  not  be  mocked." 
Gal,  6:7.  Whoever  else  be  mocked,  God  will  not 
be  :  you  had  better  play  with  the  fire  in  your  thatch, 
than  with  the  fire  of  his  burning  wrath.     "  For  oui 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  93 

God  is  a  consuming  fire."  Heb.  12  :  29.  0  how 
unmeet  a  matcli  art  thou  for  God  !  "  It  is  a  fearful 
thing  to  fall  into  his  hands."  Heb.  10:31.  And 
therefore  it  is  a  fearful  thing  to  contend  with  him 
or  resist  him.  As  you  love  your  own  souls,  take 
heed  what  you  do :  what  will  you  say  if  he  begin 
in  wrath  to  plead  with  you  ?  what  will  you  do  if 
he  take  you  once  in  hand  ?  Will  you  then  strive 
against  his  judgment,  as  now  ye  do  against  his  grace  ? 
"  Fury  is  not  in  me,"  saith  the  Lord,  that  is,  I  de- 
light not  to  destroy  you :  I  do  it,  as  it  were,  unwill- 
ingly ;  but  yet,  "  who  would  set  the  briars  and  thorns 
against  me  in  battle  ?  I  would  go  through  them,  1 
tuould  burn  them  together.  Or  let  him  take  hold  of 
my  strength,  that  he  may  make  'peace  with  me,  and 
he  shall  make  peace  with  me."  Isa.  27  :  4,  5.  It  is 
an  unequal  combat  for  the  briers  and  stubble  to 
make  war  with  the  fire. 

Thus  you  see  who  it  is  that  calleth  you,  that  would 
move  you  to  hear  his  call,  and  turn.  So  consider 
also  by  what  instruments,  and  how  often,  and  how 
earnestly  he  calls. 

1.  Every  leaf  of  the  blessed  book  of  God  hath, 
as  it  were,  a  voice,  and  calls  out  to  thee,  Turn,  and 
live ;  turn,  or  thou  wilt  die.  How  canst  thou  open 
it,  and  read  a  leaf,  or  hear  a  chapter,  and  not  per- 
ceive God  bids  thee  turn  ? 

2.  It  is  the  voice  of  every  sermon  that  thou 
nearest :   for  what  else  is  the  scope  and  drift  of 


94  ACALLTO 

all,  but  to  call,  and  persuade,  and  entreat  thee  to 
turn? 

3.  It  is  the  voice  of  many  a  motion  of  the  Spirit 
that  secretly  speaks  over  these  words  again,  and 
urgeth  thee  to  turn. 

4.  It  is  likely,  sometimes  it  is  the  voice  of  thy  own 
conscience.  Art  thou  not  sometimes  convinced  that 
all  is  not  well  with  thee  ?  And  doth  not  thy  con- 
science tell  thee  that  thou  must  be  a  new  man,  and 
take  a  new  course,  and  often  call  upon  thee  to  return  ? 

5.  It  is  the  voice  of  the  gracious  examples  of  the 
godly.  When  thou  seest  them  live  a  heavenly  life, 
and  fly  from  the  sin  which  is  thy  delight,  this  really 
calls  on  thee  to  turn. 

6.  It  is  the  voice  of  all  the  works  of  God :  for 
they  also  are  God's  books  that  teach  thee  this  les- 
son, by  showing  thee  his  greatness,  and  wisdom,  and 
goodness  ;  and  calling  thee  to  observe  them,  and  ad- 
mire the  Creator.  "  The  heavens  declare  the  glory 
of  God,  and  the  firmament  showeth  his  handy  work : 
day  unto  day  uttereth  speech,  night  unto  night  show- 
eth knowledge."  Psa.  19  :  1,2.  Every  time  the  sun 
riseth  unto  thee,  it  really  calleth  thee  to  turn,  as  if  it 
should  say,  "  What  do  I  travel  and  compass  the  world 
for,  but  to  declare  to  men  the  glory  of  their  Maker, 
and  to  light  them  to  do  his  work  ?  And  do  I  still 
find  thee  doing  the  work  of  sin,  and  sleeping  out  thy 
life  in  negligence  ?  Awake,  thou  that  sleepest,  and 
arise  from  the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light." 


T  II  h    UNCONVERTED.  95 

Ephes.  5:14.  "  The  night  is  far  spent,  the  day  is 
at  hand ;  it  is  now  high  time  to  awake  out  of  sleep. 
Let  us  therefore  cast  off  the  works  of  darkness,  and 
let  us  put  on  the  armor  of  light.  Let  us  walk  hon- 
estly, as  in  the  day ;  not  in  rioting  and  drunkenness, 
not  in  chambering  and  wantonness,  not  in  strife  and 
envying :  but  put  ye  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
make  not  provision-  for  the  flesh,  to  fulfil  the  lusts 
thereof."  Rom.  13  :  11-14.  This  text  was  the 
means  of  Augustin's  conversion. 

7.  It  is  the  voice  of  every  mercy  thou  dost  pos- 
sess. If  thou  couldst  but  hear  and  understand  them, 
they  all  cry  out  unto  thee,  Turn.  Why  doth  the 
earth  bear  thee,  but  to  seek  and  serve  the  Lord  ? 
Why  doth  it  afford  thee  its  fruits,  but  to  serve  him  ? 
Why  doth  the  air  afford  thee  breath,  but  to  serve 
him  ?  Why  do  all  the  creatures  serve  thee  with 
their  labors  and  their  lives,  but  that  thou  mightest 
devote  them  and  thyself  to  the  service  of  God? 
Why  doth  he  give  thee  time,  and  health,  and  strength, 
but  to  serve  him  ?  Why  hast  thou  meat,  and  drink, 
and  clothes,  but  for  his  service?  Hast  thou  any 
thing  which  thou  hast  not  received  ?  and  if  thou 
didst  receive  them,  it  is  reason  thou  shouldst  bethink 
thee  from  whom,  and  to  what  end  and  use  thou 
didst  receive  them.  Didst  thou  never  cry  to  him 
for  help  in  thy  distress,  and  didst  thou  not  then  un- 
derstand that  it  was  thy  part  to  turn  and  serve  him, 
if  he  would  deliver  thee  ?     He  hath  done  his  part, 


06  A    CALL   TO 

and  spared  tliee  yet  longer,  and  tried  thee  another, 
and  another  year ;  and  yet  dost  thou  not  turn  ?  You 
know  the  parable  of  the  unfruitful  fig-tree.  Luke 
13 :  6-9.  When  the  Lord  had  said,  "  Cut  it  down, 
why  cumbereth  it  the  ground  ?"  he  was  entreated 
to  try  it  one  year  longer,  and  then  if  it  proved  not 
fruitful,  to  cut  it  down.  Christ  himself  there  makes 
the  application  twice  over,  "  Except  ye  repent,  ye 
shall  all  likewise  perish."  How  many  years  hath 
God  looked  for  the  fruits  of  love  and  holiness  from 
thee,  and  hath  found  none,  and  yet  he  hath  spared 
thee  !  How  many  a  time,  by  thy  wilful  ignorance, 
and  carelessness,  and  disobedience,  hast  thou  pro- 
voked justice  to  say,  "Cut  him  down,  why  cumber- 
eth he  the  ground  ?"  And  vet  mercy  hath  prevailed, 
and  patience  hath  forborne  the  fatal  blow  to  this  day. 
If  thou  hadst  the  understanding  of  a  man  within 
thee,  thou  wouldst  know  that  all  this  calleth  thee  to 
turn.  "  Dost  thou  think  thou  shalt  still  escape  the 
judgment  of  God  ?  or  despisest  thou  the  riches  of 
his  goodness,  and  forbearance,  and  long-suffering; 
not  knowing  that  the  goodness  of  God  leadeth  thee 
to  repentance  ?  But,  after  thy  hardness  and  impen- 
itent heart,  treasurest  up  unto  thyself  wrath  against 
the  day  of  wrath,  and  revelation  of  the  righteous 
judgment  of  God,  who  will  render  to  every  man 
according  to  his  deeds."     Rom.  2  :  3-6. 

8.  Moreover,  it  is  the  voice  of  every  affliction  to 
call  thee  to  make  haste  and  turn.     Sickness  and  pain 


T  FIE    UNCONVERTED.  97 

cry,  Turn :  and  poverty,  and  loss  of  friends,  and 
every  twig  of  the  chastening  rod  cry,  Turn.  And 
yet  wilt  thou  not  hearken  to  the  call  ?  These  have 
come  near  thee,  and  made  thee  feel;  they  have 
made  thee  groan,  and  can  they  not  make  thee  turn  ? 

9.  The  very  frame  of  thy  nature  and  being  itself 
bespeaketh  thy  return.  Why  hast  thou  reason,  but 
to  rule  thy  flesh,  and  serve  thy  Lord  ?  Why  hast 
thou  an  understanding  soul,  but  to  learn  and  know 
his  will  and  do  it  ?  Why  hast  thou  a  heart  within 
thee  that  can  love,  and  fear,  and  desire,  but  that 
thou  shouldst  fear  him,  and  love  him,  and  desire 
after  him  ? 

Lay  all  these  together  now,  and  see  what  should 
be  the  issue.  The  holy  Scriptures  call  upon  thee  to 
turn  ;  the  ministers  of  Christ  call  upon  thee  to  turn ; 
the  Spirit  cries,  Turn ;  thy  conscience  cries,  Turn ; 
the  godly,  by  persuasion  and#  example,  cry,  Turn ; 
the  whole  world,  and  all  the  creatures  therein  that 
are  presented  to  thy  consideration,  cry,  Turn ;  the 
patient  forbearance  of  God  cries,  Turn ;  all  the  mer- 
cies which  thou  receivest  cry,  Turn  ;  the  rod  of  God's 
chastisement  cries,  Turn ;  thy  reason  and  the  frame 
of  thy  nature  bespeaks  thy  turning ;  and  so  do  all 
thy  promises  to  God  :  and  yet  art  thou  not  resolved 
to  turn  ? 

IIL  Moreover,  poor,  hard-hearted  sinner,  didst 
thou  ever  consider  upon  ivhat  terms  thou  standest 
•ill  this  while  with  Him  that  calleth  on  thee  to  turn ? 

B.  Call.  >J 


D8  A    CALL  TO 

Thou  art  his  own,  and  owest  him  thyself  and  all  thou 
hast ;  and  may  he  not  command  his  own  ?  Thou 
art  his  absolute  servant,  and  should  serve  no  other 
master.  Thou  standest  at  his  mercy,  and  thy  life 
is  in  his  hand,  and  he  is  resolved  to  save  thee  upon 
no  other  terms ;  thou  hast  many  malicious  spiritual 
enemies  that  would  be  glad  if  God  would  but  for- 
sake thee,  and  let  them  alone  with  thee,  and  leave 
thee  to  their  will :  how  quickly  would  they  deal  with 
thee  in  another  manner !  and  thou  canst  not  be  de- 
livered from  them  but  by  turning  unto  God.-  Thou 
art  fallen  under  his  wrath  by  thy  sin  already ;  and 
thou  knowest  not  how  long  his  patience  will  yet  wait. 
Perhaps  this  is  the  last  year,  perhaps  the  last  day. 
His  sword  is  even  at  thy  heart  while  the  word  is  in 
thine  ear;  and  if  thou  turn  not,  thou  art  a  dead  and 
undone  man.  Were  thy  eyes  but  open  to  see  where 
thou  standest,  even  upon  the  brink  of  hell,  and  to 
see  how  many  thousands  are  there  already  that  did 
not  turn,  thou  wouldst  see  that  it  is  time  to  look 
about  thee. 

Well,  sirs,  look  inwards  now  and  tell  me  how  your 
hearts  are  affected  with  these  offers  of  the  Lord. 
You  hear  what  is  his  mind  :  he  delighteth  not  in 
your  death ;  he  calls  to  you,  Turn,  turn  :  it  is  a  fear- 
tul  sign  if  all  this  move  thee  not,  or  if  it  do  but  half 
move  thee ;  and  much  more  if  it  make  thee  more 
careless  in  thy  misery,  because  thou  nearest  of  the 
mercifulness  of  God.     The  working  of  the  medicine 


THE   UNCONVERTED.  99 

will  partly  tell  us  whether  there  be  any  hope  of  the 
cure.  0  what  glad  tidings  would  it  be  to  those  that 
are  now  in  hell,  if  they  had  but  such  a  message  from 
God  !  What  a  joyful  word  would  it  be  to  hear  this, 
Turn  and  live !  yea,  what  a  welcome  word  would  it 
be  to  thyself,  when  thou  hadst  felt  that  wrath  of 
God  but  an  hour !  Or  if,  after  a  thousand  or  ten 
thousand  years'  torment,  thou  couldst  but  hear  such 
a  word  from  God,  "  Turn  and  live ;"  and  yet  will 
thou  neglect  it,  and  suffer  us  to  return  without  our 
errand  ? 

Behold,  sinners,  we  are  sent  here  as  the  messen- 
gers of  the  Lord  to  set  before  you  life  and  death. 
What  say  you  ?  which  of  them  will  you  choose  ? 
Christ  standeth,  as  it  were,  by  thee,  with  heaven  in 
the  one  hand  and  hell  in  the  other,  and  ofFereth  thee 
thy  choice.  Which  wilt  thou  choose?  The  voice 
of  the  Lord  maketh  the  rocks  to  tremble.  Psa.  29. 
And  is  it  nothing  to  hear  him  threaten  thee,  if  thou 
wilt  not  turn  ?  Dost  thou  not  understand  and  feel 
this  voice,  "  Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  why  will  ye  die  ?"  It 
is  the  voice  of  love,  of  infinite  love,  of  thy  best  and 
kindest  friend,  as  thou  mightest  easily  perceive  by 
the  motion ;  and  yet  canst  thou  neglect  it  ?  It  is 
the  voice  of  pity  and  compassion.  The  Lord  seeth 
whither  thou  art  going  better  than  thou  dost,  which 
makes  him  call  after  thee,  Turn,  turn.  He  seeth 
what  will  become  of  thee,  if  thou  turn  not.  He 
thinketh  with  himself,  "  Ah !  this  pool  sinner  will 


100  A    CALL    TO 

cast  himself  into  endless  torments  if  he  do  not  turn, 
I  must  in  justice  deal  with  him  according  to  my 
righteous  law."  And  therefore  he  calleth  after  thee, 
Turn,  turn.  0  sinner !  if  thou  didst  but  know  the 
thousandth  part  as  well  as  God  doth  the  danger  that 
is  near  you,  and  the  misery  that  you  are  running 
into,  we  should  have  no  more  need  to  call  after  you 
to  turn. 

Moreover,  this  voice  that  calleth  to  thee  is  the 
same  that  hath  prevailed  with  thousands  already, 
and  called  all  to  heaven  that  are  now  there ;  and 
they  would  not  now  for  a  thousand  worlds  that  they 
had  made  light  of  it,  and  not  turned  to  God.  Now 
what  are  they  possessing  that*  turned  at  God's  call  ? 
Now  they  perceive  that  it  was  indeed  the  voice  of 
love,  that  meant  them  no  more  harm  than  their  sal- 
vation  ;  and  if  thou  wilt  obey  the  same  call  thou 
shalt  come  to  the  same  happiness.  There  are  mil- 
lions that  must  for  ever  lament  that  they  turned  not ' 
but  there  is  never  a  soul  in  heaven  that  is  sorry  that 
they  were  converted. 

Well,  sirs,  are  you  yet  resolved,  or  are  you  not  ? 
Do  I  need  to  say  any  more  to  you  ?  What  will  you 
do  ?  Will  you  turn,  or  not  ?  Speak,  man,  in  thy 
heart  to  God,  though  you  speak  not  out  to  me; 
speak,  lest  he  take  thy  silence  for  denial ;  speak 
quickly,  lest  he  "never  make  thee  the  like  offer  more ; 
speak  resolvedly,  and  not  waveringly,  for  he  will 
have  no  indifferent  ones  to  be  his  followers.     Say  in 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  10J 

thine  heart  now,  without  any  more  delay,  even  be- 
fore thou  stir  hence,  "  By  the  grace  of  God  I  am 
resolved  presently  to  turn.  And  because  I  know 
my  own  insufficiency,  I  am  resolved  to  wait  on  God 
for  his  grace,  and  to  follow  him  in  his  ways,  and  for- 
sake my  former  courses  and  companions,  and  give  up 
myself  to  the  guidance  of  the  Lord." 

Sirs,  you  are  not  shut  up  in  the  darkness  of  hea- 
thenism, nor  in  the  desperation  of  the  damned.  Life 
is  before  you,  and  you  may  have  it  on  reasonable 
terms,  if  you  will ;  yea,  on  free  cost,  if  you  will  ac- 
cept it.  The  way  of  God  lieth  plain  before  you ;  the 
church  is  open  to  you.  You  may  have  Christ,  and 
pardon,  and  holiness,  if  you  will.  What  say  you  ? 
Will  you,  or  will  you  not  ?  If  you  say  Nay,  or  say 
nothing,  and  still  go  on,  God  is  witness,  and  those; 
who  hear  me  are  witnesses,  and  your  own  consciences 
are  witnesses,  how  fair  an  offer  you  had  this  day. 
Remember,  you  might  have  had  Christ,  and  would 
not.  Remember,  when  you  have  lost  it,  that  you 
might  have  had  eternal  life  as  well  as  others,  and 
would  not ;  and  all  this  because  you  would  not  turn  I 

But  let  us  come  to  the  next  doctrine,  and  heai 
your  reasons. 


102  A   CALL  TO 


DOCTRINE  VI. 

The  Lord  condescendeth  to  reason  the  case  with  unconverted 
sinners,  and  to  ask  them  why  they  will  die. 

A  strange  disputation  it  is,  both  as  to  the  con- 
troversy and  as  to  the  disputants. 

I.  The  controversy,  or  question  propounded  is, 
Why  wicked  men  will  destroy  themselves  ?  or,  Why 
they  will  rather  die  than  turn ;  whether  they  have 
any  sufficient  reason  for  so  doing  ? 

II.  The  disputants  are  God  and  man :  the  most 
holy  God,  and  wicked  unconverted  sinners. 

Is  it  not  a  strange  thing,  whicli  God  doth  here 
seem  to  suppose,  that  any  man  should  be  willing  to 
die  and  be  damned  ?  yea,  that  this,  should  be  the 
case  of  all  the  wicked  ?  that  is,  of  the  greatest  part 
of  the  world.  But  you  will  say,  "This  cannot  be  : 
for  nature  desireth  the  preservation  and  felicity  of 
itself ;  and  the  wicked  are  more  selfish  than  others, 
and  not  less  ;  and  therefore  how  can  any  man  be 
willing  to  be  damned  ?" 

To  which  I  answer :  1.  It  is  a  certain  truth  that 
no  man  can  be  willing  to  bear  any  evil,  as  evil,  but 
only  as  it  hath  some  appearance  of  good ;  much  less 
can  any  man  be  willing  to  be  eternally  tormented. 
Misery,  as  such,  is  desired  by  none.  2.  But  yet,  for 
all  that,  it  is  most  true  which  God  here  teacheth  us, 


THE   UNCONVERTED.  103 

that  the  cause  why  the  wicked  die  is,  because  they 
will  die.     And  this  is  true  in  several  respects. 

1.  Because  they  will  go  the  way  that  leads  to  hell, 
although  they  are  told  by  God  and  man  whither  it 
goes  and  where  it  ends  ;  and  though  God  hath  so 
rften  professed  in  his  word,  that  if  they  hold  on  in 
that  way  they  shall  be  condemned ;  and  that  they 
shall  not  be  saved  unless  they  turn.  "  There  is  no 
peace,  saith  my  God,  to  the  wicked."  "The  way  of 
peace  they  know  not ;  there  is  no  judgment  in  their 
goings ;  they  have  made  them  crooked  paths.  Who- 
soever goeth  therein  shall  not  know  peace.' '  Isa. 
48  :  22  ;  57  :  2*1  ;  59:8.  They  have  the  word  and 
the  oath  of  the  living  God  for  it,  that  if  they  will 
not  turn  they  shall  not  enter  into  his  rest:  and  yet, 
wicked  they  are,  and  wicked  they  will  be,  let  God 
and  man  say  what  they  will :  fleshly  they  are,  and 
fleshly  they  will  be  ;  worldlings  they  are,  and  world- 
lings they  will  be  ;  though  God  hath  told  them  that 
the  love  of  the  world  is  enmity  to  God,  and  that  if 
any  man  love  the  world  (in  that  measure)  the  love 
of  the  Father  is  not  in  him.  James  4  :  4  ;  1  John, 
2:15.  So  that,  consequently,  these  men  are  willing 
to  be  damned,  though  not  directly ;  they  are  willing 
to  walk  in  the  way  to  hell,  and  love  the  certain  caus<3 
of  their  torment ;  though  they  do  not  will  hell  itself, 
and  do  not  love  the  pain  which  they  must  endure. 

Is  not  this  the  truth  of  your  case,  sirs?  You 
wouftl  not  burn  in  hell,  but  you  will  kindle  the  fire 


104  A    CALL   TO 

by  your  sins,  and  cast  yourselves  into  it;  you  would 
not  be  tormented  with  devils  for  ever,  but  you  will 
do  that  which  will  certainly  procure  it  in  spite  of  all 
that  can  be  said  against  it.  It  is  just  as  if  you  would 
say,  "  I  will  drink  this  poison,  but  yet  I  will  not  die. 
I  will  cast  myself  headlong  from  the  top  of  a  stee- 
ple, but  yet  I  wil>not  kill  myself.  I  will  thrust  this 
knife  into  my  heart,  but  yet  I  will  not  take  away  my 
life.  I  will  put  this  fire  into  the  thatch  of  my  house, 
but  yet  I  will  not  burn  it."  Just  so  it  is  with  wicked 
men ;  they  will  be  wicked,  and  they  will  live  after 
the  flesh  and  the  world,  and  yet  they  would  not  be 
damned.  But  do  you  not  know  that  the  means  lead 
to  the  end  ?  and  that  God  hath,  by  his  righteous  law, 
concluded  that  you  must  repent  or  perish  ?  He  that 
will  take  poison  may  as  well  say  plainly,  I  will  kill 
myself,  for  it  will  prove  no  better  in  the  end ;  though 
perhaps  he  loved  it  for  the  sweetness  of  the  sugar 
that  was  mixed  with  it,  and  would  not  be  persuaded 
that  it  was  poison,  but  that  he  might  take  it  and  do 
well  enough  ;  but  it  is  not  his  conceits  and  confidence 
that  will  save  his  life.  So,  if  you  will  be  drunkards, 
or  fornicators,  or  worldlings,  or  live  after  the  flesh, 
you  may  as  well  say  plainly,  We  will  be  damned ; 
for  so  you  will  be  unless  you  turn.  Would  you  not 
rebuke  the  folly  of  a  murderer  that  would  say,  I  will 
kill,  but  I  will  not  be  hanged,  when  he  knows  that 
if  he  does  the  one,  the  judge  in  justice  will  see  that 
the  other  be  done  ?     If  he  say,  I  will  murder,  he 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  105 

may  as  well  say  plainly,  I  will  be  hanged ;  and  if 
you  will  go  on  in  carnal  life,  you  may  as  well  say 
plainly,  We  will  go  to  hell. 

2.  Moreover,  the  wicked  will  not  use  those  means 
without  which  there  is  no  hope  of  their  salvation. 
He  that  will  not  eat,  may  as  well  say  plainly,  he  will 
not  live,  unless  he  can  tell  how  to  live  without  meat. 
He  that  will  not  go  his  journey,  may  as  well  say 
plainly,  he  will  not  come  to  the  end.  He  that  falls 
into  the  water,  and  will  not  come  out,  nor  suffer 
another  to  help  him  out,  may  as  well  say  plainly,  he 
will  be  drowned.  So,  if  you  be  carnal  and  ungodly, 
and  will  not  be  converted,  nor  use  the  means  by 
which  you  should  be  converted,  but  think  it  more 
ado  than  needs,  you  may  as  well  say  plainly  you 
will  be  damned  ;  for  if  you  have  found  out  a  way 
to  be  saved  without  conversion,  you  have  done  that 
which  was  never  done  before. 

3.  Yea,  this  is  not  all ;  but  the  wicked  are  un- 
willing even  to  partake  of  salvation  itself;  though 
they  may  desire  somewhat  which  they  call  by  the 
name  of  heaven,  yet  heaven  itself,  considered  in  the 
true  nature  of  the  felicity,  they  desire  not;  yea, 
their  hearts  are  quite  against  it.  Heaven  is  a  state 
of  perfect  holiness,  and  of  continual  love  and  praise 
to  God,  and  the  wicked  have  no  heart  to  this.  The 
imperfect  love,  and  praise,  and  holiness  which  is 
here  to  be  attained,  they  have  no  mind  for ;  much 
less  for  that  which  is  so  much  greater.     The  joys  of 


106  A  CALL  TO 

heaven  are  of  so  pure  and  spiritual  a  nature  that 
the  heart  of  the  wicked  cannot  truly  desire  them. 

So  that  by  this  time  you  may  see  on  what  ground 
it  is  that  God  supposeth  that  the  wicked  will  their 
own  destruction.  They  will  not  turn,  though  they 
must  turn  or  die  :  they  will  rather  venture  on  cer- 
tain misery  than  be  converted  ;  and  then,  to  quiet 
themselves  in  their  sins,  they  will  make  themselves 
believe  that  they  shall  nevertheless  escape. 

II.  And  as  this  controversy  is  matter  of  wonder, 
in  that  men  should  be  such  enemies  to  themselves 
as  wilfully  to  cast  away  their  souls,  so  are  the  dis- 
putants too:  that  God  should  stoop  so  low  as  thus 
to  plead  the  case  with  men ;  and  that  men  should 
be  so  strangely  blind  and  obstinate  as  to  need  all 
this  in  so  plain  a  case;  yea,  and  to  resist  all  this, 
when  their  own  salvation  lieth  upon  the  issue. 

No  wonder  if  they  will  not  hear  us  that  are  men, 
wrhen  they  will  not  hear  the  Lord  himself.  As  God 
saith,  when  he  sent  the  prophet  to  the  Israelites, 
"  The  house  of  Israel  will  not  hearken  unto  thee ; 
for  they  will  not  hearken  unto  me  ;  for  all  the  house 
of  Israel  are  impudent  and  hard-hearted. "  Ezek. 
3:7.  No  wonder  if  they  can  plead  against  a  min- 
ister, or  a  godly  neighbor,  when  they  will  plead 
against  the  Lord  himself,  even  against  the  plainest 
passages  of  his  word,  and  think  that  they  have  rea- 
son on  their  side.  When  they  weary  the  Lord  with 
their  words,  they  say,  "  Wherein  have  we  wearied 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  107 

him?"  Mai.  2  :  17.  The  priests  that  despised  his 
name  durst  ask,  "Wherein  have  we  despised  thy 
name  ?"  And  "  when  they  polluted  his  altar,  and 
made  the  table  of  the  Lord  contemptible, "  they 
durst  say,  "Wherein  have  we  polluted  thee?" 
Mai.  1 :  6,  7.  But  "  Woe  unto  him,"  saith  the  Lord, 
"  that  striveth  with  his  Maker  !  Let  the  potsherds 
strive  with  the  potsherds  of  the  earth  :  shall  the 
clay  say  to  him  that  fashioneth  it,  What  makest 
thou?"     Isa.  45:9. 

Question.  But  why  is  it  that  God  will  reason  the 
case  with  man  ? 

Answer  1.  Because  man  being  a  reasonable  crea- 
ture, is  to  be  dealt  with  accordingly,  and  by  reason 
to  be  persuaded  and  overcome  ;  Ggd  hath  therefore 
endowed  them  with  reason,  that  they  might  use  it 
for  him.  One  would  think  a  reasonable  creature 
should  not  go  against  the  clearest,  the  greatest  rea- 
son in  the  world,  when  it  is  set  before  him. 

2.  At  least,  men  shall  see  that  God  did  require 
nothing  of  them  that  was  unreasonable  ;  but  both  in 
what  he  commandeth  them,  and  what  he  forbids 
them,  he  hath  all  the  right  reason  in  the  world  on 
his  side  ;  and  they  have  good  reason  to  obey  him— ■ 
but  none  to  disobey  him.  And  thus  even  the 
damned  shall  be  forced  to  justify  God,  and  confess 
that  it  was  only  reasonable  that  they  should  have 
turned  to  him  ;  and  they  shall  be  forced  to  condemn 
themselves,  and  confess  that  they  had  little  reason 


108  A    CALL  TO 

to  cast  away  themselves  by  the  neglecting  of  hi& 
grace  in  the  day  of  their  visitation. 

Look  up  your  best  and  strongest  reasons,  sinners, 
if  you  will  make  good  your  way.  You  see  now 
with  whom  you  have  to  deaL  What  sayest  thou, 
unconverted,  sensual  sinner  ?  Darest  thou  venture 
upon  a  dispute  with  God  ?  Art  thou  able  to  con- 
fute him  ?  Art  thou  ready  to  enter  the  lists  ?  God 
asketh  thee,  Why  wilt  thou  die  ?  Art  thou  fur- 
nished with  a  sufficient  answer  ?  Wilt  thou  under- 
take to  prove  that  God  is  mistaken,  and  that  thou 
art  in  the  right  ?  0  what  an  undertaking  is  that ! 
Why,  either  he  or  you  are  mistaken,  when  he  is  for 
your  conversion^  and  you  are  against  it ;  he  calls 
upon  you  to  turn,  and  you  will  not ;  he  bids  you  do 
it  presently,  even  to-day,  while  it  is  called  to-day, 
and  you  delay,  and  think  it  time  enough  hereafter. 
He  saith  it  must  be  a  total  change,  and  you  must  be 
holy  and  new  creatures,  and  born  again ;  and  you 
think  that  less  may  serve  the  turn,  and  that  it  is 
enough  to  patch  up  the  old  man,  without  becoming 
new.  Who  is  in  the  right  now  ?  God  or  you  ? 
God  calleth  you  to. turn,  and  to  live  a  holy  life,  and 
you  will  not.  By  your  disobedient  lives  it  appears 
you  will  not.  If  you  will,  why  do  you  not  ?  Why 
have  you  not  done  it  all  this  while  ?  And  why  do 
you  not  fall  upon  it  yet  ?  Your  wills  have  the 
command  of  your  lives.     We  may  certainly  conclude 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  300 

* 

that  you  are  unwilling  to  turn,  when  you  do  not 
turn.  -And  why  will  you  not  ?  Can  you  give  any 
reason  for  it  that  is  worthy  to  be  called  a  reason  ? 

I  that  am  but  a  worm,  your  fellow- creature,  of  a 
shallow  capacity,  dare  challenge  the  wisest  of  you 
all  to  reason  the  case  with  me  while  I  plead  my  Ma- 
ker's cause ;  and  I  need  not  be  discouraged  when  1 
know  I  plead  but  the  cause  that  God  pleadeth,  and 
contend  for  him  that  will  have  the  best  at  last. 
Had  I  but  these  two  general  grounds  against  you,  I 
anl  sure  that  you  have  no  good  reason  on  your  side. 

1.  I  am  sure  it  can  be  no  good  reason  which  is 
against  the  God  of  truth  and  reason.  It  cannot  be 
light  that  is  contrary  to  the  sun.  There  is'no  know- 
ledge in  any  creature  but  what  it  had  from  God , 
and  therefore  none  can  be  wiser  than  God.  It  were 
fatal  presumption  for  the  highest  angel  to  compare 
with  his  Creator !  What  is  it,  then,  for  a  lump  of 
earth,  an  ignorant  sot,  that  knoweth'not  himself  nor 
his  own  soul,  that  knowTeth  but  little  of  the  things 
which  he  seeth,  yea,  that  is  more  ignorant  than 
many  of  his  neighbors,  to  set  himself  against  the 
wisdom  of  the  Lord !  It  is  one  of  the  fullest  dis- 
coveries of  the  horrible  wickedness  of  carnal  men, 
and  the  madness  of  such  as  sin,  that  so  silly  a  mole 
dare  contradict  his  Maker,  and  call  in  question  the 
word  of  God :  yea,  that  those  people  that  are  so 
ignorant  that  they  cannot  give  us  a  reasonable  an- 
swer concerning  the  very  first  principles  of  religion, 


110  ACALLTO 

#  -* 

are  yet  so  "wise  in  their  own  conceit  that  they  dare 
question  the  plainest  truths  of  God,  yea,  contradict 
them  and  cavil  against  them,  when  they  can  scarcely 
speak  sense,  and  will  believe  them  no  further  than 
agreeth  with  their  foolish  wisdom ! 

2.  And  as  I  know  that  God  must  needs  be  in  the 
right,  so  I  know  the  case  is  so  palpable  and  gross 
which  he  pleadeth  against,  that  no  man  can  have 
reason  for  it.  Is  it  possible  that  a  man  can  have 
any  reason  to  break  his  Maker's  laws,  and  reason  to 
dishonor  the  Lord  of  glory,  and  reason  to  abuse  the 
Lord  that  bought  him  ?  Is  it  possible  that  a  man 
can  have  any  good  reason  to  damn  his  own  immortal 
soul  ?  Mark  the  Lord's  question,  Turn  ye,  turn  ye, 
why  will  you  die  ?  Is  eternal  death  a  thing  to  be 
desired  ?  Are  you  in  love  with  hell  ?  What  rea- 
son have  you  wilfully  to  perish  ?  If  you  think  you 
have  some  reason  to  sin,  should  you  not  remember 
that  death  is  the  wages  of  sin,  Rom.  6  :  23,  and 
think  whether  you  have  any  reason  to  undo  your- 
selves, body  and  soul,  forever  ?  You  should  not 
only  ask  whether  you  love  the  adder,  but  whether 
you  love  the  sting  ?  It  is  such  a  thing  for  a  man  to 
cast  away  his  everlasting  happiness,  and  to  sin  against 
God,  that  no  good  reason  can  be  given  for  it ;  but 
the  more  any  one  pleads  for  it,  the  more  mad  he 
showeth  himself  to  be.  Had  you  a  kingdom  offered 
you  for  every  sin  that  you  commit,  it  were  not  rea* 
eon  but  madness  to  accept  it.     Could  you  by  every 


THE    UNCONVERTED  111 

Bin  obtain  the  highest  thing  on  earth  that  flesh  de- 
sire th,  it  were  of  no  considerable  value  to  persuade 
you  in  reason  to  commit  it.  If  it  were  to  please 
your  greatest  or  dearest  friends,  or  to  obey  the 
greatest  prince  on  earth,  or  to  save  your  lives,  or  to 
escape  the  greatest  earthly  misery ;  all  these  are  of 
no  consideration  to  draw  a  man  in  reason  to  the 
committing  of  one  sin.  If  it  were  a  right  hand  or  a 
right  eye  that  would  hinder  your  salvation,  it  is  the 
most  gainful  way  to  cast  it  away,  rather  than  to  go 
to  hell  to  save  it ;  for  there  is  no  saving  a  part  when 
you  lose  the  whole.  So  exceedingly  great  are  the 
matters  of  eternity,  that  nothing  in  this  world  de- 
serveth  once  to  be  named  in  comparison  with  them  ; 
nor  can  any  earthly  thing,  though  it  were  life,  or 
crowns,  or  kingdoms,  be  a  reasonable  excuse  for  the 
neglect  of  matters  of  such  high  and  everlasting  con- 
sequence. A  man  can  have  no  reason  to  cross  his 
ultimate  end.  Heaven  is  such  a  thing,  that  if  you 
lose  it,  nothing  can  supply  the  want,  -or  make  up  the 
loss ;  and  hell  is  such  a  thing,  that  if  you  suffer  it, 
nothing  can  remove  your  misery,  or  give  you  ease 
and  comfort ;  and  therefore  nothing  can  be  a  valu- 
able consideration  to  excuse  you  for  neglecting  your 
own  salvation ;  for,  saith  our  Saviour,  ."  What  shall 
it  profit  a  man,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world, 
and  lose  his  own  soul  ?"     Mark  8  :  86. 

0  sirs,  did  you  but  know  what  ?natters  they  are 
that  we  are  now  speaking  to  you  of,  you  would  have 


11}  A    CALL   TO 

other  thoughts  of  these  things.  If  the  devil  could 
come  to  the  saints  in  heaven  that  live  in  the  sight 
and  love  of  God,  and  should  offer  them  sensual 
pleasures,  or  merry  company,  or  sports  to  entice 
them  away  from  God  and  glory,  I  pray  you  tell  me, 
how  do  you  think  they  would  entertain  the  motion  ? 
Nay,  or  if  he  should  offer  them  to  be  kings  on  the 
earth,  do  you  think  this  would  entice  them  down 
from  heaven  ?  0  with  what  hatred  and  holy  scorn 
would  they  reject  the  motion !  and  why  should  not 
you  do  so,  that  have  heaven  open  to  your  faith,  if 
you  had  but  faith  to  see  it  ?  There  is  not  a  soul  in 
hell  but  knows,  by  this  time,  that  it  was  a  mad  ex- 
change to  let  go  heaven  for  fleshly  pleasure  ;  and 
that  it  is  not  a  little  mirth,  or  pleasure,  or  worldly 
riches,  or  honor,  or  the  good- will  or  word  of  men, 
that  will  quench  hell  fire,  or  make  him  a  gainer  that 
loseth  his  soul.  0  if  you  had  heard  what  I  believe, 
if  you  had  seen  what  I  believe,  and  that  on  the 
credit  of  the  word  of  God,  you  would  say  there  can 
be  no  reason  to  warrant  a  man  to  destroy  his  soul ; 
you  durst  not  sleep  quietly  another  night,  before  you 
had  resolved  to  turn  and  live. 

If  you  see  a  man  put  his  hand  in  the  fire  till  it 
burn  off,  you  will  marvel  at  it ;  but  this  is  a  thing 
that  a  man  may  have  reason  for,  as  Bishop  Cranmer 
had  when  he  burnt  off  his  hand  for  subscribing  to 
popery.  If  you  see  a  man  cut  off  a  leg  or  an  arm, 
it  is  a  sad  sight ;  but  this  is  a  thing  that  a  man  may 


THE    UNCONVERTED  ]13 

have  a  good  reason  for,  as  many  a  man  hath  it  done 
to  save  his  life.  If  you  see  a  man  give  his  body  to 
be  tormented  with  scourges  and  racks,  or  to  be 
burned  to  ashes,  and  refuse  deliverance  when  it  is 
offered,  this  is  a  hard  case  to  flesh  and  blood ;  but 
this  a  man  may  have  good  reason  for,  as  you  may 
Bee  in  Heb.  11 :  33-36,  and  as  many  a  hundred  mar- 
tyrs have  done.  But  for  a  man  to  forsake  the  Lord 
that  made  him,  and  to  run  into  the  fire  of  hell  when 
he  is  told  of.it,  and  entreated  to  turn  that  he  may 
be  saved — this  is  a  thing  that  can  have  no  reason  in 
the  world  to  justify  or  excuse  it.  For  heaven  will 
pay  for  the  loss  of  any  thing  that  we  can  lose  to 
obtain  it,  or  for  any  labor  which  we  bestow  for  it ; 
but  nothing  can  pay  for  the  loss  of  heaven. 

I  beseech  you  now  let  this  word  come  nearer  to 
your  heart.  As  you  are  convinced  that  you  have 
no  reason  to  destroy  yourselves,  so  tell  me  what 
reason  have  you  to  refuse  to  turn  and  live  to  God  ? 
What  reason  has  the  veriest  worldling,  or  drunkard, 
or  ignorant,  careless  sinner  of  you  all,  why  he  should 
not  be  as  holy  as  any  you  know,  and  be  as  careful 
for  his  soul  as  any  other  ?  Will  not  hell  be  as  intol- 
erable to  you  as  to  others  ?  Should  not  your  own 
souls  be  as  dear  to  you  as  theirs  to  them  ?  Hath 
not  God  as  much  authority  over  you  ?  Why,  then, 
will  you  not  become  a  sanctified  people,  as  well  as 
they  ? 

O  sirs,  when  God  bringeth  the  matter  down  to 

B.  Call.  8 


U4  A    CA  LL    TO 

the  very  principles  of  nature,  and  shows  that  you 
have  no  more  reason  to  be  ungodly  than  you  have  to 
damn  your  own  souls — if  yet  you  will  not  understand 
and  turn,  it  se^ms  a  desperate  case  that  you  are  in. 

And  now,  either  you  have  good  reason  for  what 
you  do,  or  you  have  not :  if  not,  will  you  go  against 
reason  itself  ?  Will  you  do  that  which  you  have  no 
reason  for  ?  But  if  you  think  you  have  a  reason,  pro- 
duce it,  and  make  the  best  of  your  matter.  Reason 
the  case  a  little  with  me,  your  fellow- creature,  which 
is  far  easier  than  to  reason  the  case  with  God ;  tell 
me,  man,  here  before  the  Lord,  as  if  thou  w^ert  to  die 
this  hour,  why  shouldst  thou  not  resolve  to  turn  this 
day,  before  thou  stir  from  the  place  thou  standest 
in ;  what  reason  hast  thou  to  deny  or  to  delay  ?  Hast 
thou  any  reasons  that  satisfy  thine  own  conscience 
for  it,  or  any  that  thou  darest  own  and  plead  at  the 
bar  of  God  ?  If  thou  hast,  let  us  hear  them,  bring 
them  forth  and  make  them  good.  But,  alas,  what 
poor  stuff,  what  nonsense,  instead  of  reasons,  do  we 
daily  hear  from  ungodly  men  !  But  for  the  worth 
of  their  immortal  souls,  I  should  be  ashamed  to 
name  them.  • 

Objection  1.  One  saith,  if  none  shall  be  saved 
but  such  converted  and  sanctified  ones  as  you  talk 
of,  heaven  will  be  but  empty :  then  God  help  a  great 
many! 

Answer.  Why,  it  seems  you  think  that  God  doth 
not  know,  or  else   that  he  is  not  to  be  believed. 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  1J5 

Measure  not  all  by  yourselves  :  God  hath  thousands 
and  millions  of  his  sanctified  ones ;  but  yet  they  are 
few  in  comparison  of  the  world,  as  Christ  himself 
hath  told  us.     Matt.  7  :  13,  14.     It  better  beseems 
you  to  make  that  use  of  this  truth  which  Christ, 
teacheth  you  :  "  Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate ; 
for  strait  is  the  gate  and  narrow  is  the  way  that 
leadeth  unto  life,  and  few  there  be  that  find  it ;  bu 
wide  is  the  gate  and  broad  is  the  way  which  leadeth 
to  destruction,  and  many  there  be  that  go  in  there- 
at."     Luke  13:22-24.      "Fear  not,  little  flock," 
saith  Christ  to  his  sanctified  ones,  "  for  it  is  you 
Father's  good  pleasure  to  give  you  the  kingdom." 
Luke  12  :  32. 

Objection  2.  I  am  sure,  if  such  as  I  go  to  hell, 
we  shall  have  store  of  company. 

Answer.  And  will  that  be  any  ease  or  comfort  to 
you  ?  Or  do  you  think  you  may  not  have  company 
enough  in  heaven  ?  Will  you  be  undone  for  com- 
pany, or  will  yeu  not  believe  that  God  will  execute 
his  threatenings  because  there  be  so  many  that  are 
guilty  ?     These  are  all  unreasonable  conceits. 

Objection  3.  But  all  men  are  sinners,  even  the 
best  of  you  all. 

Answer.  But  all  are  not  unconverted  sinners. 
The  godly  live  not  in  gross  sins;  and  their  very 
infirmities  are  their  grief  and  burden,  which  they 
daily  long,  and  pray,  and  strive  to  be  rid  of.  Sin 
hath  no  dominion  over  them. 


11G  A   CALL  TO 

Objection  4.  I  do  not  see  that  professors  are  any 
better  than  other  men ;  they  will  overreach,  and 
oppress,  and  are  as  covetous  as  any. 

Answer.  Whatever  hypocrites  are,  it  is  not  so 
with  those  that  are  sanctified.  God  hath  thousands 
and  tens  of  thousands  that  are  otherwise,  though  the 
malicious  world  accuse  them  of  what  they  can  never 
prove,  and  of  that  which  never  entered  into  their 
hearts ;  and  commonly  they  charge  them  with  heart 
sins,  which  none  can  see  but  God,  because  they  can 
charge  them  with  no  such  wickedness  in  their  lives 
as  they  are  guilty  of  themselves. 

Objection  5.  But  I  am  no  whoremonger,  nor 
drunkard,  nor  oppressor ;  and  therefore  why  should 
you  call  upon  me  to  be  converted  ? 

Answer.  As  if  you  were  not  born  after  the  flesh, 
and  had  not  lived  after  the  flesh  as  well  as  others 
Is  it  not  as  great  a  sin  as  any  of  these,  for  a  man  to 
have  an  earthly  mind,  and  to  love  the  world  above 
God,  and  to  have  an  unbelieving,  unhumbled  heart? 
Nay,  let  me  tell  you  more,  that  many  persons  that 
avoid  disgraceful  sins  are  as  fast  glued  to  the  world, 
and  as  much  slaves  to  the  flesh,  and  as  strange  to 
God  and  averse  to  heaven,  in  their  more  civil  course, 
as  others  are  in  their  more  shameful,  notorious  sins. 

Objection  6.  But  I  mean  nobody  any  harm,  nor 
do  any  harm ;  and  why,  then,  should  God  condemn 
me? 

Answer.  Is  it  no  harm  to  neglect  the  Lord  that 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  ll? 

made  thee,  and  the  work  for  which  thou  earnest  into 
the  world,  and  to  prefer  the  creature  before  the  Cre- 
ator, and  to  neglect  grace  that  is  daily  offered  thee  ?  ' 
It  is  the  depth  of  thy  sinfulness  to  be  so  insensible 
of  it :  the  dead  feel  not  that  they  are  dead.  If  once 
thou  wert  made  alive,  thou  wouldst  see  more  amiss 
in  thyself,  and  marvel  at  thyself  for  making  so  light 
of  it. 

Objection  7.  I  think  you  would  make  men  mad, 
under  pretence  of  converting  them  :  it  is  enough  to 
rack  the  brains  of  simple  people  to  muse  so  much 
on  matters  too  high  for  them. 

Answer  1.  Can  you  be  more  mad  than  you  are 
already  ?  or,  at  least,  can  there  be  a  more  danger- 
ous madness  than  to  neglect  your  everlasting  welfare 
and  wilfully  undo  yourselves  ? 

2.  A  man  is  never  truly  in  his  right  mind  till  he 
be  converted :  he  never  knows  God,  nor  knows  sin, 
nor  knows  Christ,  nor  knows  the  world,  nor  himself, 
nor  what  his  business  is  on  earth,  so  as  to  set  him- 
self about  it,  till  he  be  converted.  The  Scripture 
saith  that  the  wicked  are  unreasonable  men,  and 
that  the  wisdom  of  the  world  is  foolishness  with 
God.  2  Thess.  3  :  2  ;  1  Cor.  1 :  20  ;  and  Luke  15  :  17. 
It  is  said  of  the  prodigal,  that  when  he  came  to  him- 
self he  resolved  to  return.  What  a  strange  wisdom 
is  this;  men  will  disobey  God,  and  run  to  hell,  for 
fear  of  being  accounted  fools  ! 

3.  What  is  there  in  the  work  that  Christ  calls  you 


118  A   CALL  TO 

to,  that  should  drive  a  man  out  of  his  senses  ?  ,  Is 
it  loving  God,  and  calling  upon  him,  and  comforta- 
'  bly  thinking  of  the  glory  to  come,  and  the  forsaking 
of  our  sins,  and  loving  one  another,  and  delighting 
ourselves  in  the  service  of  God?  Are  these  such 
things  as  should  make  men  mad  ? 

4.  And  whereas  you  say  that  these  matters  are 
too  high  for  us ;  you  accuse  God  himself  for  making 
this  our  work,  and  giving  us  his  word,  and  com- 
manding all  that  will  be  blessed  to  meditate  on  it 
day  and  night.  Are  the  matters  which  we  are  made 
for,  and  which  we  live  for,  too  high  for  us  to  med- 
dle with  ?  This  is  plainly  to  unman  us,  and  to  make 
beasts  of  us,  as  if  we  were  like  them  that  must  med- 
dle with  no  higher  matters  than  what  belongs  to 
flesh  and  earth.  If  heaven  be  too  high  for  you  to 
think  on  and  provide  for,  it  will  be  too  high  for  you 
ever  to  possess. 

5.  If  God  should  sometimes  suffer  any  weak- 
headed  person  to  be  distracted  by  thinking  of  eter- 
nal things,  this  is  because  they  misunderstand  them, 
and  run  without  a  guide ;  and  of  the  two,  I  had 
rather  be  in  the  case  of  such  a  one,  than  of  the  mad, 
unconverted  world,  that  take  their  distraction  to  be 
their  wisdom. 

Objection  8.  I  do  not  think  that  God  cares  so 
much  what  men  think,  or  speak,  or  do,  as  to  make 
sc  great  a  matter  of  it. 

Answer.  It  seems,  then,  you  take  the  word  of 


THE   UNCONVERTED.  119 

God  to  be  false :  then  what  will  you  believe  ?  But 
your  own  reason  might  teach  you  better,  if  you 
believe  not  the  Scriptures  ;  for  you  see  God  sets  not 
so  light  by  us  but  that  he  vouchsafed  to  make  us, 
and  still  preserveth  us,  and  daily  upholdeth  us,  and 
provideth  for  us  ;  and  will  a.nj  wise  man  make  a  cu- 
rious frame  for  nothing  ?  Will  you  make  or  buy  a 
clock  or  watch,  and  daily  look  at  it,  and  not  care 
whether  it  go  true  or  false  ?  Surely,  if  you  believe 
not  a  particular  eye  of  Providence  observing  your 
hearts  and  lives,  you  cannot  believe  or  expect  any 
particular  Providence  to  observe  your  wants  and 
troubles,  or  to  relieve  you ;  and  if  God  had  so  little 
care  for  you  as  you  imagine,  you  would  never  have 
lived  till  now ;  a  hundred  diseases  would  have  striven 
which  should  first  destroy  you ;  yea,  the  devils  would 
have  haunted  you,  and  fetched  you  away  alive,  as 
the  great  fishes  devour  the  less,  and  as  ravenous 
beasts  and  birds  devour  others.  You  cannot  think  . 
that  God  made  man  for  no  end  or  use,  and  if  he 
made  him  for  any,  it  was  surely  for  himself ;  and  can 
vou  think  he  cares  not  whether  his" end  be  accom- 
plished,  and  whether  we  do  the  work  that  we  are 
made  for? 

Yea,  by  this  atheistical  objection  you  suppose  God 
to  have  made  and  upheld  all  the  world  in  vain ;  for 
what  are  all  other  lower  creatures  for,  but  for  man  ? 
What  doth  the  earth  but  bear  us  and  nourish  us, 
and  the  beasts  but  serve  us  with  their  labors  and 


120  A   CALL  TO 

lives,  and  so  of  the  rest  ?  And  hath  God  made  so 
glorious  a  habitation,  and  set  man  to  dwell  in  it,  and 
made  all  his  servants ;  and  now  doth  he  look  for 
nothing  at  his  hands,  nor  care  how  he  thinks,  or 
speaks,  or  lives  ?     This  is  most  unreasonable. 

Objection  9.  It  was  a  better  world  when  men  did 
not  make  so  much  ado  in  religion. 

Answer  1 .  It  hath  ever  been  the  custom  to  praise 
the  times  past ;  that  world  that  you  speak  of  was 
wont  to  say  it  was  a  better  world  in  their  forefathers' 
days  ;  and  so  did  they  of  their  forefathers.  This  is 
but  an  old  custom,  because  we  all  feel  the  evil  of  our 
own  times,  but  we  see  not  that  which  was  before  us. 

2.  Perhaps  you  speak  as  you  think.  Worldlings 
think  the  world  is  at  the  best  when  it  is  agreeable 
to  their  minds,  and  when  they  have  most  mirth  and 
worldly  pleasure ;  and  I  doubt  not  but  the  devil, 
as  well#as  you,  would  say  that  then  it  was  a  better 
world  ;  for  then  he  had  more  service  and  less  dis- 
turbance. But  the  world  is  at  the  best  when  God 
is  most  loved,  regarded,  and  obeyed ;  and  how  else 
will  you  know  when  the  world  is  good  or  bad,  but 
by  this  ?  * 

Objection  10.  There  are  so  many  ways  and  re 
ligions,  that  we  know  not  which  to  be  of,  and  there 
fore  we  will  be  even  as  we  are. 

Answer.  Because  there  are  many,  will  you  be  of 
that  way  that  you  may  be  sure  is  wrong  ?  None 
are  further  out  of  the  way  than  worldly,  fleshly,  un- 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  121 

converted  sinners ;  for  they  do  not  only  err  in  this 
or  that  opinion,  as  many  sects  do,  but  in  the  very 
scope  and  drift  of  their  lives.  If  you  were  going 
a  journey  that  your  life  lay  on,  would  you  stop  or 
turn  again  because  you  met  with  some  cross  ways, 
or  because  you  saw  some  travellers  go  the  horse- 
way, and  some  the  foot- way,  and  some  perhaps 
break  over  the  hedge,  yea,  and  some  miss  the  way  ? 
Or  would  you  not  rather  be  the  more  careful  to 
inquire  the  way  ?  If  you  have  some  servants  thai 
know  not  how  to  do  your  work  right,  and  some  that 
are  unfaithful,  would  you  take  it  well  of  any  of  the 
rest  that  would  therefore  be  idle  and  do  you  no  ser- 
vice, because  they  see  their  companions  so  bad  ? 

Objection  11.  I  do  not  see  that  it  goes  any  bet- 
ter with  those  that  are  so  godly,  than  with  other 
men ;  they  are  as  poor  and  in  as  much  trouble  as 
others. 

Answer.  And  perhaps  in  much  more,  when  God 
sees  it  meet.  They  take  not  earthly  prosperity  for 
their  wages ;  they  have  laid  up  their  treasure  and 
hopes  in  another  world,  or  else  they  are  not  Chris- 
tians indeed ;  the  less  they  have,  the  more  is  behind, 
and  they  are  content  to  wait  till  then. 

Objection  12.  When  you  have  said  all  that  you 
can,  I  am  resolved  to  hope  well,  and  trust  in  God, 
and  do  as  Well  as  I  can,  and  not  make  so  much  ado. 

Answer  1.  Is  that  doing  as  well  as  you  can,  when 
you  will  not  turn  to  God,  but  your  heart  is  against 


122  A   CALL   TO 

his  holy  and  diligent  service?  It  is  as  well  as  you 
will,  indeed,  but  that  is  your  misery. 

2,  My  desire  is,  that  you  should  hope  and  trust 
in  God.  But  for  what  is  it  that  you  will  hope  ?  Is 
it  to  be  saved,  if  you  turn  and  be  sanctified?  For 
this  you  have  God's  promise,  and  therefore  I  say, 
hope  for  it,  and  spare  not.  But  if  you  hope  to  be 
saved  without  conversion  and  a  holy  life,  this  is  not 
to  hope  in  God,  but  in  Satan,  or  yourselves ;  for 
God  hath  given  you  no  such  promise,  but  told  you 
the  contrary ;  but  it  is  Satan  and  self-love  that  made 
you  such  promises,  and  raised  you  to  such  hopes. 

Well,  if  these  objections  and  such  as  these,  be  all 
you  have  to  say  against  conversion  and  a  holy  life, 
your  all  is  nothing,  and  worse  than  nothing ;  and  if 
these,  and  such  as  these,  seem  reasons  sufficient  to 
persuade  you  to  forsake  God  and  cast  yourselves 
into  hell,  the  Lord  deliver  you  from  such  reasons, 
and  from  such  blind  understandings,  and  from  such 
senseless,  hardened  hearts.  Dare  you  stand  to  aver 
one  of  these  reasons  at  the  bar  of  God  ?  Do  you 
think  it  will  then  serve  your  turn  to  say,  "  Lord,  I 
did  not  turn,  because  I  had  so  much  to  do  in  the 
world,  or  because  I  did  not  like  the  lives  of  some  pro- 
fessors, or  because  I  saw  men  of  so  many  minds !" 
O  how  easily  will  the  light  of  that  day  confound 
and  shame  such  reasonings  as  these  !  Had  you  the 
world  to  look  after?  Let  the  world  which  you 
served  now  pay  you  your  wages,  and  save  you  if  it 


THE   UNC0NVERT1U-.  123 

can.  Had  you  not  a  better  world  to  look  after  first, 
and  were  you  not  commanded  to  seek  first  God's 
kingdom  and  righteousness,  and  promised  that  othei 
things  should  be  added  to  you  ?  Matt.  6:33.  And 
were  you  not  told  that  godliness  is  profitable  to  all 
things,  having  the  promise  of  this  life  and  that  which 
is  to  come  ?  1  Tim.  4:8.  Did  the  sins  of  professors 
hinder  you  ?  You  should  rather  have  been  the  more 
heedful,  and  learned  by  their  falls  to  beware,  and 
have  been  the  more  careful,  and  not  the  more  care- 
less. It  was  the  Scripture,  and  not  their  lives,  that 
was  3'our  rule.  Did  the  many  opinions  of  the  world 
hinder  you  ?  Why,  the  Scripture  that  was  your  rule 
did  teach  you  but  one  way,  and  that  was  the  right 
way.  If  you  had  followed  that,  even  in  so  much 
as  was  plain  and  easy,  you  would  never  have  mis- 
carried. Will  not  such  answers  as  these  confound 
and  silence  you  ?  If  these  will  not,  God  hath  those 
that  will.  When  he  asked  the  man,  "  Friend,  how 
earnest  thou  in  hither,  not  having  on  a  wedding  gar- 
ment?" Matt.  22  :  12,  that  is,  what  doest  thou  in  my 
church  among  professed  Christians,  without  a  holy 
heart  and  life — what  answer  did  he  make  ?  Why, 
the  text  saith,  "  he  was  speechless  ;"  he  had  nothing 
to  say.  The  clearness  of  the  case  and  the  majesty 
of.  God  will  then  easily  stop  the  mouths  of  the  most 
confident  of  you,  though  you  will  not  be  put  down 
by  any  thing  we  can  say  to  you  now,  but  will  make 
good  your  cause,  be  it  ever  so  bad.     I  know  already 


124  A    CALL    TO 

that  nevei  a  reason  that  now  you  can  give  me  will 
do  you  any  good  at  last,  when  your  case  must  be 
opened  before  the  Lord,  and  all  the  world. 

Nay,  I  scarce  think  that  your  own  consciences  are 
well  satisfied  with  your  reasons ;  for  if  they  are,  it 
seems,  then,  you  have  not  so  much  as  a  purpose  to 
repent.  But  if  you  do  purpose  to  repent,  it  seems 
you  do  not  put  much  confidence  in  the  reasons  which 
you  bring  against  it. 

What  say  you,  unconverted  sinners  ?  Have  you 
any  good  reasons  to  give  why  you  should  not  turn, 
and  presently  turn  with  all  your  hearts  ?  Or  will 
you  go  to  hell  in  despite  of  reason  itself  ?  Bethink 
you  what  you  do  in  time,  for  it  will  shortly  be  too 
late  to  bethink  you.  Can  you  find  any  fault  with 
God,  or  his  work,  or  wages  ?  Is  he  a  bad  master  ? 
Is  the  devil,  whom  you  serve,  a  better?  or  is  the 
flesh  a  better  ?  Is  there  any  harm  in  a  holy  life  ? 
Is  a  life  of  worldliness  and  ungodliness  better  ?  Do 
you  think  in  your  consciences  that  it  would  do  you 
any  harm  to  be  converted  and  live  a  holy  life  ?  What 
harm  can  it  do  you  ?  Is  it  harm  to  you  to  have  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  within  you,  and  to  have  a  cleansed, 
purified  heart  ?  If  it  be  bad  to  be  holy,  why  doth 
God  say,  "  Be  ye  holy,  for  I  am  holy  ?"  1  Pet. 
1  :  15,  16  ;  Lev.  20  : 1.  Is  it  evil  to  be  like  God  ? 
Is  it  not  said  that  God  made  man  in  his  own  image  ? 
Why,  this  holiness  is  his  image  ;  this  Adam  lost,  and 
this  Christ  by  his  word  and  Spirit  would  restore  to 


THE   UNCONVERTED.  125 

you,  as  he  doth  to  all  that  he  will  save.  How  is  it 
that  men  are  baptized  into  the  Holy  Ghost  as  their 
Sanctifier,  and  yet  you  will  not  be  sanctified  by  him, 
but  think  it  a  hurt  to  you  to  be  sanctified  ?  Tell  me 
truly,  as  before  the  Lord,  though  you  are  loath  to 
live  a  holy  life,  had  you  not  rather  die  in  the  case 
of  those  that -do  so,  than  of  others?  If  you  were 
to  die  this  day,  had  you  not  rather  die  in  the  case 
of  a  converted  man  than  of  an  unconverted  ?  of  a 
holy  and  heavenly  man  than  of  a  carnal,  earthly 
man?  and  would  "you  not  say  as  Balaam,  "Let  me 
die  the  death  of  the  righteous,  and  let  my  last  end 
be  like  his?"  Numb.  23  :  10.  And  why  will  you 
not  now  be  of  the  mind  that  you  will  be  of  then  ? 
First  or  last  you  must  come  to  this,  either  to  be  con- 
verted, or  to  wish  you  had  been,  when  it  is  too  late. 

But  what  is  it  that  you  are  afraid  of  losing,  if  you 
turn  ?  Is  it  your  friends  ?  You  will  but  change 
them  ;  God  will  be  your  Friend,  and  Christ  and  the 
Spirit  will  be  your  Friend ;  and  every  Christian  will 
be  your  friend.  You  will  get  one  Friend  that  will 
stand  you  in  more  stead  than  all  the  friends  in  the 
world  could  have  done.  The  friends  you  lose  would 
have  but  enticed  you  to  hell,  but  could  not  have 
delivered  you  :  but  the  Friend  you  get  will  save  you 
from  hell,  and  bring  you  to  his  own  eternal  rest. 

Is  it  your  pleasures  that  you  are  afraid  of  losing  ? 
You  think  you  shall  never  have  a  merry  day  again 
if  once  you  be  converted.      Aias  !  that  you  should 


126  A    CALL   TO 

think  it  a  greater  pleasure  to  live  in  foolish  sports 
and  merriments,  and  please  your  flesh,  than  to  live 
in  the  believing  thoughts  of  glory,  and  in  the  love 
of  God,  and  in  righteousness,  and  peace,  and  joy  in 
the  Holy  Ghost,  in  which  the  state  of  grace  consist- 
eth.  Rom.  14  :  17.  If  it  would  be  a  greater  pleas- 
ure for  you  to  think  of  your  lands  aad  inheritance, 
if  you  were  lord  of  all  the  country,  than  it  is  for  a 
child  to  play  at  pins,  why  should  it  not  be  a  greater 
joy  to  you  to  think  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  being 
yours,  than  all  the  riches  or  pleasures  of  the  world  ? 
As  it  is  but  foolish  childishness  that  makes  children 
so  delight  in  toys  that  they  would  not  leave  them 
for  all  your  lands,  so  it  is  but  foolish  worldliness, 
and  fleshliness,  and  wickedness,  that  makes  you  so 
much  delight  in  your  houses  and  lands,  and  meat 
and  drink,  and  ease  and  honor,  as  that  you  would 
not  part  with  them  for  the  heavenly  delights.  But 
what  will  you  do  for  pleasure  when  these  are  gone? 
Do  you  not  think  of  that  ?  When  your  pleasures 
end  in  horror,  and  go  out  like  a  taper,  the  pleasures 
of  the  saints  are  then  the  highest.  I  have  had  my- 
self but  a  little  taste  of  the  heavenly  pleasures  in 
the  forethoughts  of  the  blessed  approaching  day, 
and  in  the  present  persuasions  of  the  love  of  God 
in  Christ ;  but  I  have  taken  too  deep  a  draught  of 
earthly  pleasures :  so  that  you  may  see,  if  I  be  par- 
tial, it  is  on  your  side  ;  and  yet  I  must  profess,  from 
that  little  experience,  that  there  is  no  comparison. 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  12? 

There  is  more  joy  to  be  had  in  a  day,  if  the  sun  of 
life  shine  clear  upon  us,  in  the  state  of  holiness,  than 
in  a  whole  life  of  sinful  pleasures.  "  I  had  rather 
be  a  door-keeper  in  the  house  of  God  than  to  dwell 
in  the  tents  of  wickedness. "  Psalm  84:10.  "A 
day  in  his  courts  is  better  than  a  thousand"  any 
where  else.  The  mirth  of  the  wicked  is  like  the 
laughter  of  a  madman,  that  knows  not  his  own  mis- 
ery ;  and  therefore  Solomon  says  of  such  laughter, 
"it  is  mad;  and  of  mirth,  what  doeth  it?"  "It  is 
better  to  go  to  the  house  of  mourning  than  to  go  to 
the  house  of  feasting ;  for  that  is  the  end  of  all  men, 
and  the  living  will  lay  it  to  his  heart.  Sorrow  is 
better  than  laughter;  for  by  the  sadness  of  the 
countenance  the  heart  is  made  better.  The  heart 
of  the  wise  is  in  the  house  of  mourning  ;  but  the 
heart  of  fools  is  in  the  house  of  mirth.  It  is  better 
to  bear  the  rebuke  of  the  wise,  than  to  hear  the 
song  of  fools ;  for  as  the  crackling  of  thorns  under  ' 
a  pot,  so  is  the  laughter  of  the  fool."  Eccles.  2:2; 
7 :  2-6.  Your  loudest  laughter  is  but  like  that  of  a 
man  that  is  tickled  ;  he  laughs  when  he  has  no  cause 
of  joy.  Judge,  as. you  are  men,  whether  this  be  a 
wise  man's  part.  It  is  but  your  carnal,  unsanctified 
nature  that  makes  a  holy  life  seem,  grievous  to  you, 
and  a  course  of  sensuality  seem  more  delightful.  If 
you  will  but  turn,  the  Holy  Ghost  will  give  you  an- 
other nature  and  inclination,  and  then  it  will  be  more 
pleasant  to  you  to  be  rid  of  your  sin,  than  now  i*  is 


1V8  A   CALI    TO 

to  keep  it ;  and  you  will  then  say,  that  you  knew  not 
what  a  comfortable  life  was  till  now,  and  that  it  was 
never  well  with  you  till  God  and  holiness  were  your 
delight. 

Question.  But  how  cometh  it  to  pass  that  men 
should  be  so  unreasonable  in  the  matters  of  salva  - 
tion  ?  They  have  sense  enough  in  other  matters : 
what  makes  them  so  loath  to  be  converted  that  there 
should  need  so  many  words  in  so  plain  a  case,  and 
all  will  not  do,  but  the  most  will  live  and  die  uncon- 
verted ? 

Answer.  To  name  them  only  in  a  few  words,  the 
causes  are  these : 

1.  Men  are  naturally  in  love  with  the  earth  and 
flesh ;  they  are  born  sinners,  and  their  nature  hath 
an  enmity  to  God  and  godliness,  as  the  nature  of  a 
serpent  hath  to  a  man :  and  when  all  that  we  can 
say  goes  against  an  habitual  inclination  of  their  na- 

*  tures,  no  marvel  if  it  prevail  little. 

2.  They  are  in  darkness,  and  know  not  the  very 
things  they  hear.  Like  a  man  that  was  born  blind, 
and  hears  a  high  commendation  of  the  li^ht :  but 
what  will  hearing  do  unless  he  sees  it  ?  They  know  ■ 
not  what  God  is,  nor  what  is  the  power  of  the  cross 
of  Christ,  nor  what  the  Spirit  of  holiness  is,  nor  what 
it  is  to  live  in  love  by  faith ;  they  know  not  the  cer- 
tainty, and  suitableness,  and  excellency  of  the  heav- 
enly, inheritance.  They  know  not  what  conversion 
and  a  holy  mind  and  conversation  is,  even  when  they 


THE   i:.\  COX  VERTED.  129 

hear  of  it.  They  are  in  a  mist  of  ignorance.  They 
are  lost  and  bewildered  in  sin ;  like  a  man  that  has 
lost  himself  in  the  night,  and  knows  not  where  he 
is,  nor  how  to  come  to  himself  again-,  till  the  day- 
light recover  him. 

3.  They  are  wilfully  confident  that  they  need  no 
conversion,  but  only  some  partial  amendment,  and 
that  they  are  in  the  way  to  heaven  already,  and  are 
converted  when  they  are  not.  And  if  you  meet  a 
man  that  is  quite  out  of  his  way,  you  may  long 
enough  call  on  him  to  turn  back  again,  if  he  will 
not  believe  that  he  is  out  of  .the  way. 

4.  They  are  become  .slaves  to  their  flesh,  and 
drowned  in  the  world,  to  make  provision  for  it. 
Their  lusts,  and  passions,  and  appetites  have  dis- 
tracted them,  and  got  such  power  over  them  that 

•  they  cannot  tell  how  to  deny  them,  or  how  to  mind 
any  thing  else ;  so  that  the  drunkard  saith,  I  love  a 
cup  of  good  drink,  and  I  cannot  forbear  ;  the  glut- 
ton saith,  I  love  good  cheer,  and  I  cannot  forbear ; 
the  fornicator  saith,  I  love  to  have  my  lust  fulfilled, 

..and  I  cannot  forbear;  and  the  gamester  loves  to 
have  his  sports,  and  he  cannot  forbear.  So  that 
they  are  become  even  captivated  slaves  to  their 
flesh,  and  their  very  wilfulness  is  become  an  impo- 
tency  ;  and  what  they  would  not  do,  they  say  they 
cannot.  And  the  worldling  is  so  taken  up  with 
earthly  things,  that  he  hath  neither  heart,  nor  mind, 
nor  time  for  heavenly  ;  but,  as  in  Pharaoh's  dream, 

B.  Call.  9 


ISO  A    CALL    TO 

Gen.  41  : 4,  the  lean  kine  did  eat  up  the  fat  ones* 
so  this  lean  and  barren  earth  doth  eat  up  all  the 
thoughts  of  heaven. 

5.  Some  are  so  carried  away  by  the  stream  of 
evil  company,  that  they  are  possessed  with  hard 
thoughts  of  a  godly  life,  by  hearing  them  speak 
against  it ;  or  at  least  they  think  they  may  venture 
to  do  as  they  see  most  do,  and  so  they  hold  on  in 
their  sinful  ways ;  and  when  one  is  cut  off  and  cast 
into  hell,  and  another  snatched  away  from  among 
them  to  the  same  condemnation,  it  doth  not  much 
daunt  them,  because  they  see  not  whither  they  are 
gone.  Poor  wretches,  they  hold  on  in  their  ungod- 
liness for  all  this ;  for  they  little  know  that  their 
companions  are  now  lamenting  it  in  torments.  In 
Luke  16,  the  rich  man  in  hell  would  fain  have  had 
one  to  warn  his  five  brethren,  lest  'they  should  come 
to'that  place  of  torment.  It  is  likely  he  knew  their 
minds  and  lives,  and  knew  that  they  were  hasting 
thither,  and  little  dreamed  that  he  was  there,  yea, 
and  would  little  have  believed  one  that  should  have 
told  them  so. 

I  remember  an  occurrence  that  a  gentleman,  yet 
living,  told  me  he  saw  upon  a  bridge  over  the  Sev- 
ern.* A  man  was  driving  a  flock  of  fat  lambs,  and 
something  meeting  them  and  hindering  their  passage, 
one  of  the  lambs  leaped  upon  the  Avail  of  the  bridge, 
and  his  legs  slipping  he  fell  into  the  stream  ;  and  the 

*  Mr.  R.  Rowly,  of  Shrewsbury,  upon  A eham- Bridge. 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  1H1 

rest  seeing  him,  did,  one  after  another,  leap  over  the 
bridge  into  the  stream,  till  all  or  almost  all  were 
drowned.  Those  that  were  behind  little  knew  what 
was  become  of  them  that  were  gone  before,  but 
thought  they  might  venture  to  follow  their  compan- 
ions ;  but  as  soon  as  ever  they  were  over  the  wall, 
and  falling  headlong,  the  case  was  altered.  Even 
so  it  is  with  unconverted,  carnal  men.  One  dieth 
by  them  and  drops  into  hell,  and  another  follows  the 
same  way  ;  and  yet  they  will  go  after  them,  because 
they  think  not  whither  they  are  going.  0,  but  when 
death  hath  once  opened  their  eyes,  and  they  see 
what  is  on  the  other  side  of  the  wall,  even  in  another 
world,  then  what  would  they  give  to  be  where  they 
were ! 

6.  Moreover,  they  have  a  subtle,  malicious  enemy, 
that  is  unseen  of  them,  and  plays  his  game  in  the 
dark  ;  and  it  is  his  principal  business  to  hinder  their 
conversion ;  and  therefore  to  keep  them  where  they 
are,  by  persuading  them  not  to  believe  the  Scriptures, 
or  not  to  trouble  their  minds  with  these  matters  ;  or 
by  persuading  them  to  think  ill  of  a  godly  life,  or 
to  think  that  more  is  enjoined  than  need  be,  and 
that  they  may  be  saved  without  conversion,  and 
without  all  this  stir ;  and  that  God  is  so  merciful 
that  he  will  not  damn  any  such  as  they ;  or  at  least, 
that  they  may  stay  a  little  longer,  and  take  their 
pleasure,  and  follow  the  world  a  little  longer  yet, 
and  then  let  it  go,  and  repent  hereafter.     And  by 


132  A  CALL  TO 

such  juggling,  deluding  cheats  as  these,  the  devil 
keeps  the  most  in  his  captivity,  and  leadeth  them  to 
his  misery. 

These,  and  such  like  impediments  as  these,  da 
keep  so  many  thousands  unconverted,  when  God 
hath  done  so  much,  and  Christ  hath  suffered  so 
much,  and  ministers  have  said  so  much  for  their 
conversion.  When  their  reasons  are  silenced  and 
they  are  not  able  to  answer  the  Lord  that  calls  after 
them,  "  Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  why  will  ye  die  ?"  yet  all 
comes  to  nothing  with  the  greatest  part  of  them ; 
and  they  leave  us  no  more  to  do,  after  all,  but  to  sit 
down  and  lament  their  wilful  misery. 

I  have  now  showed  you  the  reasonableness  of 
God's  commands,  and  the  unreasonableness  of  wick- 
ed men's  disobedience.  If  nothing  will  serve  to  per- 
suade them,  but  men  will  yet  refuse  to  turn,  we  are 
next  to  consider  who  is  in  fault  if  they  be  damned. 
And  this  brings  me  to  the  last  doctrine ;  which  is, 


THE   UNCONVERTED.  1'oS 


DOCTRINE  VII. 

That  if  after  all  this  men  will  not  turn,  it  is  not  the  fault  of 
God  that  they  are  condemned,  but  their  own,  even  their  owa 
wilfulness.  They  die  because  they  will,  that  is,  because  tliey 
will  not  turn. 

If  you  will  go  to  hell,  what  remedy  ?  God  here 
acquits  himself  of  your  blood;  it  shall  not  lie  on 
him  if  you  be  lost.  A  negligent  minister  may  draw 
it  upon  him ;  and  those  that  encourage  you  or  hin- 
der you  not  in  sin,  may  draw  it  upon  them ;  but  be 
sure  of  it,  it  shall  not  lie  upon  God.  Saith  the 
Lord,  concerning  his  unprofitable  vineyard,  "  Judge, 
I  pray  you,  betwixt  me  and  my  vineyard  :  what  could 
have  been  done  more  to  my  vineyard  that  I  have  not 
done  in  it  ?"  Isa.  5  : 1-4.  When  he  had  planted 
it  in  a  fruitful  soil,  and  fenced  it,  and  gathered  out 
the  stones,  and  planted  it  with  the  choicest  vines, 
what  should  he  have  done  more  to  it?  He  hath 
made  you  men,  and  endowed  you  with  reason ;  he 
hath  furnished  you  with  all  external  necessaries  ;  all 
creatures  are  at  your  service ;  he  hath  given  you  a 
righteous,  perfect  law.  When  you  had  broken  it  and 
undone  yourselves,  he  had  pity  on  you,  and  sent  his 
Son  by  a  miracle  of  condescending  mercy  to  die  for 
you,  and  be  a  sacrifice  for  your  sins ;  and  he  was  in 
Christ  reconciling  the  world  to  himself ! 

The  Lord  Jesus  hath  made  you  a  deed  of  gift  of 


134  A    CALL   TO 

himself,  and  eternal  life  with  him,  on  the  condition 
you  will  but  accept  it,  and  return.  He  hath  on  this 
reasonable  condition  offered  you  the  free  pardon  of 
all  your  sins  !  he  hath  written  this  in  his  word,  and 
sealed  it  by  his  Spirit,  and  sent  it  by  his  ministers : 
they  have  made  the  offer  to  you  a  hundred  and  a 
hundred  times,  and  called  you  to  accept  it,  and  to 
turn  to  God.  They  have  in  his  name  entreated  you, 
and  reasoned  the  case  with  you,  and  answered  all 
your  frivolous  objections.  He  hath  long  waited  on 
you,  and  stayed  your  leisure,  and  suffered  you  to 
abuse  him  to  his  face  !  He  hath  mercifully  sustained 
you  in  the  midst  of  your  sins ;  he  hath  compassed 
you  about  with  all  sorts  of  mercies ;  he  hath  also 
intermixed  afflictions,  to  remind  you  of  your  folly 
and  call  you  to  your  senses,  and  his  Spirit  has  been 
often  striving  with  your  hearts,  saying,  "  Turn,  sin- 
ner, turn  to  him  that  calleth  thee.  Whither  art 
thou  going  ?  What  art  thou  doing  ?  Dost  thou 
know  what  will  be  the  end  ?  How  long  wilt  thou 
hate  thy  friends  and  love  thine  enemies?  When 
wilt  thou  let  go  all,  and  turn  and  deliver  up  thyself 
to  God,  and  give  thy  Redeemer  the  possession  of 
thy  soul  ?  When  shall  it  once  be  ?"  These  plead- 
ings have  been  used  with  thee,  and  when  thou  hast 
delayed,  thou  hast  been  urged  to  make  haste,  and 
God  hath  called  to  thee,  "  To-day,  while  it  is  called 
to-day,  harden  not  thy  heart."  Why  not  listen  now 
without  any  more  delay  ? 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  135 

Life  hath  been  set  before  you ;  the  joys  of  heaven 
have  been  opened  to  yon  in  the  Gospel;  the  cer- 
tainty of  them  hath  been  manifested  ;  the  certainty 
of  the  everlasting  torments  of  the  damned  hath  been 
declared  to  you — unless  you  would  have  had  a  sight 
of  heaven  and  hell,  what  could  you  desire  more  ? 
Christ  hath  been,  as  it  were,  set  forth  crucified  be- 
fore your  eyes.  Gal.  3:1.  You  have  been  a  hun- 
dred times  told  that  you  are  but  lost  men  till  you 
come  unto  him  :  as  often  you  have  been  told  of  the 
evi!  of  sin,  of  the  vanity  of  sin,  the  world,  and  all 
the  pleasures  and  wealth  it  can  afford ;  of  the  short- 
ness and  uncertainty  of  your  lives,  and  the  endless 
duration  of  the  joy  or  torment  of  the  life  to  come. 
All  this,  and  more  than  this  have  you  been  told,  and 
told  again,  even  till  you  were  weary  of  hearing  it, 
and  till  you  could  make  the  lighter  of  it,  because 
you  had  so  often  heard  it,  like  the  smith's  dog,  that 
is  brought  by  custom  to  sleep  under  the  noise  of  the 
hammers  and  when  the  sparks  fly  about  his  ears ; 
and  though  all  this  have  not  converted  you,  yet  you 
are  alive,  and  might  have  mercy  to  this  day,  if  you 
had  but  hearts  to  entertain  it.  And  now  let  reason 
itself  be  the  judge,  whether  it  be  the  fault  of  God, 
or  of  yourselves,  if  after  all  this  you  will  be  uncon- 
verted and  be  damned.  If  you  die  now,  it  is  be- 
cause you  will  die. 

What  should  be  said  more  to  you,  or  what  course 
should  be  taken  that  is  more  likely  to  prevail  ?    Are 


136  A  CALL  TO 

you  able  to  say,  and  make  it  good,  "We  would  faia 
have  been  converted  and  become  new  creatures,  but 
we  could  not ;  we  would  fain  have  forsaken  our  sins, 
but  we  could  not ;  we  would  have  changed  our 
company,  and  our  thoughts,  and  our  discourse,  but 
we  could  not."  Why  could  you  not  if  you  would  ? 
What  hindered  you  but  the  wickedness  of  your 
hearts  ?  Who  forced  you  to  sin,  or  who  held  you 
back  from  duty  ?  Had  not  you  the  same  teaching, 
and  time,  and  liberty  to  be  godly,  as  your  godly 
neighbors  had  ?  Why  then  could  not  you  have  b#en 
godly  as  well  as  they  ?  Were  the  church -doors 
shut  against  you,  or  did  you  not  keep  away  your- 
selves, or  sit  and  sleep,  or  hear  as  if  you  did  not 
hear?  Did  God  put  in  any  exceptions  against  you 
in  his  word,  when  he  invited  sinners  to  return ;  and 
when  he  promised  mercy  to  those  that  do  return  ? 
Did  he  say,  "  I  will  pardon  all  that  repent  except 
thee?"  Did  he  shut  thee  out  from  the  liberty  of 
his  holy  worship  ?  Did  he  forbid  you  to  pray  to 
him  any  more  than  others  ?  You  know  he  did  not. 
God 'did  not  drive  you  away  from  him,  but  you  for- 
sook him,  and  ran  away  yourselves,  and  when  he 
called  you  to  him,  you  would  not  come. 

If  God  had  excepted  you  out  of  the  general 
promise  and  offer  of  mercy,  or  had  said  to  you, 
"Stand  off,  I  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  such  as 
you ;  pray  not  to  me,  for  I  will  not  hear  you ;  if  you 
repent  never  so  much,  and  cry  for  mercy  never  so 


THE    UNCONVERTED  137 

much,  1  will  not  regard  you" — if  God  had  left  you 
nothing  to  trust  to  but  desperation,  then  you  had  a 
fair  excuse ;  you  might  have  said,  "  To  what  end 
should  I  repent  and  turn,  when  it  will  do  no  good  ?" 
But  this  was  not  your  case  :  you  might  have  had 
Christ  to  be  your  Lord  and  Saviour,  your  head  and 
husband,  as  well  as  others,  and  you  would  not,  be- 
cause you  felt  yourselves  not  sick  enough  for  the 
physician ;  and  because  you  could  not  spare  your 
disease.  In  your  hearts  you  said  as  those  rebels, 
Luke  19  :  14,  "We  will  not  have  this  man  to  reign 
over  us."  Christ  would  have  gathered  you  under 
the  wings  of  his  salvation,  and  you  would  not. 
Matt.  23:37.  What  desires  of  your  welfare  did 
the  Lord  express  in  his  holy  word  !  With  what 
compassion  did  he  stand  over  you  and  say,  "0  that 
my  people  had  hearkened  unto  me,  and  that  they 
had  walked  in  my  ways !"  Psalm  81:13.  "0  that 
there  were  such  a  heart  in  this  people,  that  they 
would  fear  me,  and  keep  all  my  commandments  al- 
ways, that  it  might  be  well  with  them  and  with  their 
children  for  ever!"  Deut.  5:29.  "O  that  they 
were  wise,  that  they  understood  this,  that  they 
w  ould  consider  -their  latter  end."  Deut.  32  :  29. 
He  would  have  been  your  God,  and'done  all  for  you 
that  your  souls  could  well  desire  ;  but  you  loved  the 
world  and  your  flesh  above  him,  and  therefore  you 
would  not  hearken  to  him,  though  you  compliment- 
ed him,  and  ipve  him  high  titles;  yet  when  it  came 


138  A    CALL    TO 

to  the  closing,  you  would  have  none  of  him.  Psalm 
81 :  11,  12.  No  marvel,  then,  if  he  gave  you  up  to 
your  own  hearts'  lusts,  and  you  walked  in  your  own 
counsels. 

He  condescends  to  reason,  and  pleads  the  case 
with  you,  and  asks  you,  "  What  is  there  in  me,  or 
my  service,  that  you  should  be  so  much  against  me  ? 
What  harm  have  1  done  thee,  sinner  ?  Have  I  de- 
served this  unkind  dealing  at  thy  hand  ?  Many 
mercies  have  I  showed  thee :  for  which  of  them  dost 
thou  thus  despise  me  ?  Is  it  I,  or  is  it  Satan  that  is 
thy  enemy  ?  Is  it  I,  or  is  it  thy  carnal  self  that 
would  undo  thee  ?  Is  it  a  holy  life,  or  a  life  of  sin, 
that  thou  hast  cause  to  fly  from  ?  If  thou  be  un- 
done, thou  procurest  this  to  thyself,  by  forsaking 
me,  the  Lord  that  would  have  saved  thee."  Jer. 
2  :  17.  "  Doth  not  thy  own  wickedness  correct  thee, 
and  thy  sin  reprove  thee?  Thou  may  est  see  that 
it  is  an  evil  and  bitter  thing  that  thou  hast  forsaken 
me."  Jer.  2:19.  "  What  iniquity  have  you  found 
in  me  that  you  have  followed  after  vanity,  and  for- 
saken me  ?"  Jer.  2:5,  6.  He  calleth  out,  as  it 
were,  to  the  brutes,  to  hear  the  controversy  he  hath 
against  you.  "  Hear,  0  ye  mountains,  the  Lord's 
controversy,  and  ye  strong  foundations  of  the  earth  ; 
for  the  Lord  hath  a  controversy  with  his  people,  and 
he  will  plead  with  Israel.  0  my  people,  what  have 
I  done  unto  thee,  and  wherein  have  I  wearied  thee  ? 
testify  against  me,  for  I  brought  thee  up  out  of 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  189 

Egypt,  and  redeemed  thee."  Micah  6  :  2,  3.  "  Hear, 
0  heavens,  and  give  ear,  0  earth,  for  the  Lord  hath 
spoken.  I  have  nourished  and  brought  up  children, 
and  they  have  rebelled  against  me.  The  ox  know- 
eth  his  owner,  and  the  ass  his  master's  crib ;  but 
Israel  doth  not  know,  my  people  doth  not  consider! 
Ah,  sinful  nation,  a  people  laden  with  iniquity,  a 
seed  of  evil-doers  !"  etc.  Isaiah  1 :  2,  4.  "  Do  you 
thus  requite  the  Lord,  0  foolish  people  and  unwise  ? 
Is  not  he  thy  Father  that  bought  thee  ?  Hath  he 
not  made  thee,  and  established  thee  ?"  Deut.  32:6. 
When  he  saw  that  you  forsook  him,  even  for  noth- 
ing, and  turned  away  from  the  Lord  of  life  to  hunt 
after  the  chaff  and  feathers  of  the  world,  he  told 
you  of  your  folly,  and  called  you  to  a  more  profit- 
able employment,  Isaiah  55  :  2-7.  "  Wherefore  do 
you  spend  your  money  for  that  which  is  not  bread, 
and  your  labor  for  that  which  satisfieth  not  ?  Heark- 
en diligently  unto  me,  and  eat  ye  that  which  is 
good,  and  let  your  soul  delight  itself  in  fatness.  In- 
cline your  ear,  and  come  unto  me  ;  hear,  and  your 
soul  shall  live ;  and  I  will  make  an  everlasting  cov- 
enant with  you,  even  the  sure  mercies  of  David. 
Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he  may  be  found :  call  ye 
upon  him  while  he  is  near.  Let  the  wicked  forsake 
his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts,  and 
let  him  return  unto  the  Lord  and  he  will  have  mer- 
cy upon  him ;  and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abundant- 
ly pardon."     Isa.  55  :  2-1 ;  and  so  chap.  1  :  16-18. 


140  A   CALL   TO 

And  when  you  would  not  hear,  what  complaints 
have  you  caused  him  to  bring  against  you !  charg- 
ing it  on  you  as  your  wilfulness  and  stubbornness. 
"  Be  astonished,  0  heavens,  at  this,  and  be  horribly 
afraid  ;  for  my  people  have  committed  two  evils : 
they  have  forsaken  me,  the  fountain  of  living  waters, 
and  hewed  them  out  cisterns,  broken  cisterns,  that 
can  hold  no  water."  Jer.  2:12,  13.  Many  a  time 
hath  Christ  proclaimed  that  free  invitation  to  you, 
"  Let  him  that  is  athirst  come,  and  whosoever  will, 
let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely.''  Rev.  22  :  17. 
But  you  put  him  to  complain,  after  all  his  offers, 
"They  will  not  come  to  me,  that  they  may  have 
life."  John  5 :  40.  He  hath  invited  you  to  feast 
with  him  in  the  kingdom  of  his  grace,  and  you  have 
had  excuses  from  your  grounds,  and  your  cattle, 
and  your  worldly  business  ;  and  when  you  would 
not  come,  you  have  said  you  could  not,  and  pro- 
voked him  to  resolve  that  you  should  never  taste  of 
his  supper.  Luke  14:  16-25.  And  who  is  it  the 
fault  of  now  but  yourselves  ?  and  what  can  you  say 
is  the  chief  cause  of  your  damnation  but  your  own 
wills  ?  you  would  be  damned.  The  whole  case  is 
laid  open  by  Christ  himself.  "  Wisdom  crieth  with- 
out, she  uttereth  her  voice  in  the  streets ;  she  crieth 
in  the  chief  place  of  concourse — How  long,  ye  sim- 
ple ones,  will  ye  love  simplicity,  and  the  scorners 
delight  in  their  scorning,  and  fools  hate  knowledge  ? 
Turn  ye  at  my  reproof.     Behold,  I  will  pour  out  ray 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  141 

Spirit  upon  you,  I  will  make  known  my  words  unio 
you.  Because  I  have  called,  and  ye  refused  ;  I  have 
stretched  out  my  hand,  and  no  man  regarded ;  but 
ye  have  set  at  naught  all  my  counsel,  and  would 
none  of  my  reproof :  I  also  will  laugh  at  your  ca- 
lamity, I  will  mock  when  your  fear  cometh;  when 
your  fear  cometh  as  desolation,  and  your  destruc- 
tion cometh  as  a  whirlwind ;  when  distress  and  an- 
guish cometh  upon  you.  Then  shall  they  call  upon 
me,  but  I  will  not  answer ;  they  shall  seek  me  ear- 
ly, but  they  shall  not  find  me ;  for  that  they  hated 
knowledge,  and  did  not  choose  the  fear  of  the  Lord. 
They  would  none  of  my  counsel ;  they  despised  all 
my  reproof;  therefore  shall  they  eat  of  the  fruit  of 
their  own  way,  and  be  filled  with  their  own  devices. 
For  the  turning  away  of  the  simple  shall  slay  them, 
and  the  prosperity  of  fools  shall  destroy  them.  But 
whoso  hearkeneth  to  me  shall  dwell  safely,  and  shall 
be  quiet  from  the  fear  of  eiriL"  Prov.  1 :  20-33.  I 
thought  best  to  recite  the  whole  text  at  large  to 
you,  because  it  doth  so  fully  show  the  cause  of  the 
destruction  of  the  wicked.  It  is  not  because  God 
would  not  teach  them,  but  because  they  would  not 
learn.  It  is  not  because  God  would  not  call  them, 
but  because  they  would  not  turn  at  his  reproof. 
Their  wilfulness  is  their  undoing. 

From  what  hath  been  said,  you  may  further  lean* 
these  following  things : 


142  A    CALL   TO 

1.  From  hence  /on  may  see  not  only  what  blas- 
phemy and  impiety  it  is  to  lay  the  blame  of  men's 
destruction  upon  God,  but  also  how  unfit  these  wick- 
ed wretches  are  to  bring  in  such  a  charge  against 
their  Maker !  They  cry  out  upon  God,  and  say 
that  lie  gives  them  no  grace,  and  that  his  threaten- 
ings  are  severe,  and  that  it  is  unreasonable  that  all 
should  be  condemned  who  are  not  converted  and 
sanctified ;  and  they  think  it  hard  measure  that  a 
short  sin  should  have  an  endless  suffering ;  and  if 
they  be  damned  they  say  they  cannot  help  it,  when 
in  the  meantime  they  are  bringing  about  their  own 
destruction,  even  the  destruction  of  their  own  souls, 
and  will  not  be  persuaded  to  hold  their  hands. 
They  think  God  were  cruel  if  he  should  condemn 
them,  and  yet  they  are  so  cruel  to  themselves  that 
they  will  run  into  the  fire  of  hell,  when  God  hath 
told  Ihem  it  is  but  a  little  before  them  ;  and  neither 
entreaties  nor  threatenings,  nor  any  thing  that  can 
be  said,  will  stop  them. 

We  see  them  almost  undone ;  their  careless,world- 
ly,  fleshly  lives  tell  us  that  they  are  in  the  power  of 
the  devil ;  we  know,  if  they  die  before  they  are  con- 
verted, all  the  world  cannot  save  them  ;  and  knowing 
the  uncertainty  of  their  lives,  we  are  afraid  every 
day  lest  they  drop  into  the  fire ;  and  therefore  we 
entreat  them  to  pity  their  own  souls,  and  not  to 
undo  themselves  when  mercy  is  at  hand,  but  they 
will  not  hear  us.     We  entreat  them  to  cast  away 


TI1E    UNCONVERTED.  143 

their  sin,  and  come  to  Christ  without  delay,  and  to 
have  some  mercy  on  themselves,  but  they  will  have 
none ;  and  yet  they  think  that  God  must  be  cruel  if 
he  condemn  them. 

0  wilful,  miserable  sinners !  it  is  not  God  that  is 
cruel  to  you,  it  is  you  that  are  cruel  to  yourselves ; 
you  are  told  you  must  turn  or  burn,  and  yet  you 
turn  not.  You  are  told  that  if  you  will  needs  keep 
your  sins,  you  shall  keep  the  curse  of  God  with 
them,  and  yet  you  will  keep  them.  You  are  told 
that  there  is  no  way  to  happiness  but  by  holiness, 
and  yet  you  will  not  be  holy.  What  would  you 
have  God  say  more  to  you  ?  What  would  you  have 
him  do  with  his  mercy  ?  He  offereth  it  to  you, 
and  you  will  not  have  it.  You  are  in  the  ditch  of 
sin  and  misery,  and  he  would  give  you  his  hand  to 
help  you  out,  and  you  refuse  his  help ;  he  would 
cleanse  you  of  your  sins,  and  you  had  rather  keep 
them  ;  you  love  your  lust,  and  love  your  gluttony, 
and  sports,  and  drunkenness,  and  will  not  let  them 
go.  Would  you  have  him  bring  you  to  heaven 
whether  you  will  or  not  ?  Or  would  you  have  him 
bring  you  and  your  sins  to  heaven  together  ?  That 
is  an  impossibility ;  you  may  as  well  expect  he  should 
turn  the  sun  into  darkness.  What !  an  unsanctified 
fleshly  heart  be  in  heaven !  it  cannot  be.  Then* 
entereth  into  it  nothing  that  is  unclean.  Rev. 
21  :  27.  "For  what  communion  hath  light  with 
darkness,  or  Christ  with  Belial  ?"    "  All  the  day  long 


Ill  A   CALL  TO 

hath  he  stretched  out  his  hands  to  a  disobedient 
and  gainsaying  people."  2  Cor.  6  :  14,  15;  Rom. 
10:21. 

What  will  you  do  now  ?  Will  you  cry  to  God 
for  mercy?  Why,  God  calleth  upon  you  to  have 
mercy  upon  yourselves,  and  you  will  not  ?  Ministers 
see  the  poisoned  cup  in  the  drunkard's  Jiand,  and 
tell  him  there  is  poison  in  it,  and  desire  him  to  have 
mercy  on  his  soul,  and  forbear,  and  he  will  not  hear 
us !  Drink  it  he  must  and  will ;  he  loves  it,  and 
therefore,  though  hell  comes  next,  he  saith  he  can- 
not help  it.  What  should  one  say  to  such  men  as 
these  ?  We  tell  the  ungodly  careless  worldling,  it  is 
not  such  a  life  that  will  serve  the  turn,  or  ever  bring 
you  to  heaven.  If  a  lion  were  at  your  back  you 
would  mend  your  pace  ;  and  when  the  curse  of  God 
is  at  your  back,  and  Satan  and  hell  are  at  your  back, 
will  you  not  stir,  but  ask,  What  need  of  all  this  ado  ? 
Is  an  immortal  soul  of  no  more  worth?  0  have 
mercy  upon  yourselves!  But  they  will  have  no 
mercy  on  themselves,  nor  once  regard  us.  We  tell 
them  the  end  will  be  bitter.  Who  can  dwell  with 
everlasting  fire  ?  And  yet  they  will  have  no  mercv 
on  themselves.  Still  will  these  shameless  transgres- 
sors say  that  God  is  more  merciful  than  to  condemn 
them,  when  it  is  themselves  that  cruelly  and  unmer- 
cifully run  upon  condemnation ;  and  if  we  should  go 
to  them  and  entreat  them,  we  cannot  stop  them ;  it 
we  should  fall  on  our  knees  to  them  we  cannot  stop" 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  145 

them,  but  to  hell  they  will  go,  and  yet  will  not  be- 
"ieve  that  they  are  going  thither. 

If  we  beg  of  them,  for  the  sake  of  God  that  made 
them,  and  preserve th  them  ;  for  the  sake  of  Christ 
that  died  for  them ;  for  the  sake  of  their  own  souls, 
to  pity  themselves,  and  go  no  further  in  the  way  to 
hell,  but  come  to  Christ  while  his  arms  are  open, 
and  enter  into  the  state  of  life  while  the  door  stands 
open,  and  now  take  mercy  while  mercy  may  be  had, 
they  will  not  be  persuaded.  If  we  should  die  for  it, 
we  cannot  so  much  as  get  them  now  and  then  to 
consider  with  themselves  of  the  matter,  and  turn ; 
and  yet  they  can  say,  "  I  hope  God  will  be  mer- 
ciful." Did  you  never  consider  what  he  saith,  Isa. 
27 :  11,  "It  is  a  people  of  no  understanding  :  there- 
fore he  that  made  them  will  not  have  mercy  on 
them,  and  he  that  formed  them  will  show  them  no 
Savor."  If  another  man  will  not  clothe  you  when 
you  are  naked,  and  feed  you  when  you  are  hungry, 
you  will  say  he  is  unmerciful.  If  he  should  cast 
you  into  prison,  or  beat  and  torment  you,  you  would 
say  he  is  unmerciful :  and  yet  you  will  do  a  thou- 
sand times  more  against  yourselvres,  even  cast  away 
both  soul  and  body  for  ever,  and  never  complain  of 
your  own  unmercifulness  !  Yea,  and  God  that  wait- 
ed upon  you  all  the  while  with  his  mercy,  must  be 
taken  to  be  unmerciful,  if  he  punish  you  after  all 
this.  Unless  the  holy  God  of  heaven  will  give  these 
ungodly  men  leave  to  trample  upon  his  Son's  blood, 

B.Call.  10 


146  A   CALL   TO 

and  with  the  Jews,  as  it  were,  again  to  spit  in  his 
face,  and  do  despite  to  the  Spirit  of  grace,  and  make 
a  jest  of  sin,  and  a  mock  at  holiness,  and  set  more 
light  by  saving  mercy  than  by  their,  fleshly  pleas- 
ures ;  and  unless,  after  all  this,  he  will  save  them 
by  the  mercy  which  they  cast  away,  and  would  have 
none  of,  God  himself  must  be  called  unmerciful  by 
them  !  But  he  will  be  justified  when  he  judgeth, 
and  he  will  not  stand  or  fall  at  the  bar  of  a  sinful 
worm. 

I  know  there  are  many  particular  cavils  that  are 
brought  by  them  against  the  Lord  ;  but  I  shall  not 
here  stay  to  answer  them  particularly,  having  done 
it  already  in  my  Treatise  of  Judgment,  to  which  I 
shall  refer  them.  Had  the  disputing  part  of  the 
world  been  as  careful  to  avoid  sin  and  destruction  as 
they  have  been  busy  in  searching  after  the  cause  of 
them,  and  forward  indirectly  to  impute  them  to  God, 
they  might  have  exercised  their  wits  more  profit- 
ably, and  have  less  wronged  God,  and  sped  better 
themselves.  When  so  ugly,  a  monster  as  sin  is  with- 
in us,  and  so  heavy  a  thing  as  punishment  is  on  us, 
and  so  dreadful  a  thing  as  hell  is  before  us,  one 
would  think  it  would  be  an  easy  question  who  is  in 
the  fault ;  whether  God  or  man  be  the  principal 
or  culpable  cause.  Some  men  are  such  favorable 
judges  of  themselves,  that  they  are  more  prone  to 
accuse  infinite  perfection  and  goodness  itself,  than 
their  own  hearts,  and  imitate  their  first  parents,  who 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  J47 

Baid,  M  The  serpent  tempted  me ;  and  the  woman 
that  thou  gavest  me  gave  unto  me,  and  I  did  eat ;" 
secretly  impl)Ting  that  God  was  the  cause.  So  say 
they,  "  The  understanding  that  thou  gavest  me  was 
unable  to  discern ;  the  will  that  thou  gavest  me  was 
unable  to  make  a  better  choice ;  the  objects  which 
thou  didst  set  before  me  did  entice  me ;  the  tempta- 
tions which  thou  didst  permit  to  assault  me  prevail- 
ed against  me."  And  some  are  so  loath  to  think  that 
God  can  make  a  self-determining  creature,  that  they 
dare  not  deny  him  that  which  they  take  to  be  his 
prerogative,  to  be  the  determiner  of  the  will  in  every 
sin,  as  the  first  efficient  immediate  physical  cause ; 
and  many  could  be  content  to  acquit  God  from  so 
much  causing  of  evil,  if  they  could  but  reconcile  it 
with  Ins  being  the  chief  cause  of  good ;  as  if  truths 
would  be  no  longer  truths  than  we  are  able  to  see 
them  in  their  perfect  order  and  coherence :  because 
our  ravelled  wits  cannot  set  them  right  together,  nor 
assign  each  truth  its  proper  place,  we  presume  to 
conclude  that  some  must  be  cast  away.  This  is  the 
fruit  of  proud  self-conceitedness,  when  men  receive 
not  God's  truth  as  children,  in  holy  submission  to 
the  omniscience  of  our  Teacher,  but  as  censurers 
that  are  too  wise  to  learn. 

Objection.  But  we  cannot  convert  ourselves  till 
God  convert  us ;  we  can  do  nothing  without  his 
grace  ;  it  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that 
runneth,  but  of  God  that  showeth  mercy. 


148  A    CALL    TO 

Answer.  God  hath  two  degrees  of  mercy  to 
show :  the  mercy  of  conversion  first,  and  the  mercy 
of  salvation  last ;  the  latter  he  will  give  to  none  but 
those  that  will  and  run,  and  hath  promised  it  to  them 
only.  The  former  is  to  make  them  willing  that  are 
unwilling ;  and  though  your  own  willingness  and  en- 
deavors deserve  not  his  grace,  yet  your  wilful  refusal 
deserveth  that  it  should  be  denied  to  you.  Your 
disability  is  your  very  unwillingness  itself,  which  ex- 
cuseth  not  your  sin,  but  maketh  it  the  greater.  You 
could  turn  if  you  were  but  truly  willing ;  and  if  your 
wills  themselves  are  so  corrupted  that  nothing  but 
effectual  grace  will  move  them,  you  have  the  more 
cause  to  seek  for  that  grace,  and  yield  to  it,  and  do 
what  you  can  in  the  use  of  means,  and  not  neglect 
it  and  set  yourselves  against  it.  Do  what  you  are 
able  first,  and  then  complain  of  God  for  denying  you 
grace,  if  you  have  cause. 

Objection.  But  you  seem  to  intimate  all  this  while 
that  man  hath  free  will. 

Answer.  The  dispute  about  free  will  is  beyond 
your  capacity ;  I  shall  therefore  now  trouble  you 
with  no  more  but  this  about  it.  Your  will  is  natu- 
rally a  free,  that  is,  a  self-determining  faculty ;  but 
it  is  viciously  inclined,'  and  backward  to  do  good ; 
and  therefore  we  see,  by  sad  experience,  that  it  hath 
not  a  virtuous  moral  freedom ;  but  this  is  the  wick- 
edness of  it  which  deserveth  the  punishment ;  and 
I  pray  you  let  us  not  befool  ourselves  with  opinions. 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  140 

Let  the  case  be  your  own.  If  you  had  an  enemy 
who  was  so  malicious  as  to  fall  upon  you,  and  beat 
you,  or  take  away  the  lives  of  your  children,  would 
you  excuse  him  because  he  said,  I  have  not  free  will : 
it  is  my  nature,  I  cannot  choose  unless  God  give  me 
grace  ?  If  you  had  a  servant  that  robbed  you,  would 
you  take  such  an  answer  from  him  ?  Might  not  ev- 
ery thief  and  murderer  that  is  hanged  at  the  assize 
give  such  an  answer :  I  have  not  free  will ;  I  cannot 
change  my  own  heart ;  what  can  I  do  without  God's 
grace  ?  and  shall  they  therefore  be  acquitted  ?  If 
not,  why  then  should  you  think  to  be  acquitted  for 
a  course  of  sin  against  the  Lord  ? 

2.  From  hence  also  you  may  observe  these  three 
things  together :  1 .  What  a  subtle  tempter  Satan 
is.  2.  What  a  deceitful  thing  sin  is.  3.  What  a  fool- 
ish, corrupted  creature  man  is.  A  subtle  tempter, 
indeed,  that  can  persuade  the  greatest  part  of  the 
world  to  go  into  everlasting  fire,  when  they  have  so 
many  warnings  and  dissuasives  as  they  have !  A 
deceitful  thing  is  sin,  indeed,  that  can  bewitch  so 
many  thousands  to  part  with  everlasting  life  for  a 
thing  so  base  and  utterly  unworthy !  A  foolish 
creature  is  man,  indeed,  that  will  be  cheated  of  his 
salvation  for  nothing,  yea,  for  a  known  nothing  ;  and 
that  by  an  enemy,  and  a  known  enemy.  You  would 
think  it  impossible  that  any  man  in  his  senses  should 
be  persuaded  for  a  trifle  to  cast  himself  into  the  fire, 
or  water,  or  into  a  coal-pit,  to  the  destruction  of  his 


150  A    CALL    TO 

life  ;  and  yet  men  will  be  enticed  to  cast  themselves 
into  hell.  If  your  natural  lives  were  in  your  own 
hand,  that  you  should  not  die  till  you  would  kill 
yourselves,  how  long  would  most  of  you  live  !  And 
yet,  when  everlasting  life  is  so  far  in  your  own  hands, 
under  God,  that  you  cannot  be  undone  till  you  undo 
yourselves,  how  few  of  you  will  forbear  your  own 
undoing !  Ah,  what  a  silly  thing  is  man  !  and  what 
a  bewitching  and  befooling  thing  is  sin ! 

3.  From  hence,  also,  you  ma}'  learn,  that  it  is  no 
great  wonder  if  wicked  men  be  hinderers  of  others 
in  the  way  to  heaven,  and  would  have  as  many  un- 
converted as  they  can,  and  would  draw  them  into 
sin,  and  keep  them  in  it.  Can  you  expect  that  they 
should  have  mercy  on  others,  that  have  none  upon 
themselves  ?  and  that  they  should  hesitate  much  at 
the  destruction  of  others,  that  hesitate  not  to  destroy 
themselves  ?  They  do  no  worse  by  others  than  they 
do  by  themselves. 

4.  Lastly :  You  may  hence  learn  that  the  greatest 
enemy  to  man  is  himself ;  and  the  greatest  judgment 
in  this  life  that  can  befall  him,  is  to  be  left  to  him- 
self ;  and  that  the  great  work  that  grace  hath  to  do, 
is  to  save  us  from  ourselves ;  and  that  the  greatest 
accusations  and  complaints  of  men  should  be  against 
themselves ;  and  that  the  greatest  work  we  have  to 
do  ourselves,  is  to  resist  ourselves  ;  and  the  greatest 
enemy  that  we  should  daily  pray,  and  watch,  and 
strive  against,  is  our  own  carnal  hearts  and  wills ; 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  351 

and  the  greatest  part  of  your  work,  if  you  would 
do  good  to  others,  and  help  them  to  heaven,  is  to 
save  them  from  themselves,  even  from  their  own 
blind  understandings,  and  corrupted  wills,  and  per 
verse  affections,  and  violent  passions,  and  unruly 
senses.  I  only  name  all  these  for  brevity's  sake,  and 
leave  them  to  your  further  consideration. 

Well,  sirs,  now  we  have  found  out  the  great  de- 
linquent and  murderer  of  souls,  even  men's  selves, 
their  own  wills,  what  remains  but  that  you  judge 
according  to  the  evidence,  and  confess  this  great 
iniquity  before  the  Lord,  and  be  humbled  for  it,  and 
do  so  no  more  ?  To  these  three  ends  distinctly  I 
shall  add  a  few  words  more.  1.  Further  to  con- 
vince you.  2.  To  humble  you.  And,  3.  To  reform 
you,  if  there  yet  be  any  hope. 

1.  We  know  so  much  of  the  exceeding  gracious 
nature  of  God,  who  is  willing  to  do  good,  and  de- 
lighteth  to  show  mercy,  that  we  have  no  reason  to 
suspect  him  of  being  the  culpable  cause  of  our  death, 
or  to  call  him  cruel :  he  made  all  good,  and  he  pre- 
serveth  and  maintaineth  all;  the  eyes  of  all  wait 
upon  him,  and  he  giveth  them  their  meat  in  due 
season ;  he  openeth  his  hand,  and  satisfieth  the  de- 
sires of  all  the  living.  Psalm  145  :  15,  16.  He  is 
hot  only  righteous  in  all  his  ways,  and  therefore  wil1 
deal  justly  ;  and  holy  in  all  his  works,  and  therefore 
not  the  author  of  sin ;  but  he  is  also  good  to  all,  and 


152  A    CALL    TO 

bis  tender  mercies  are  over  all  his  works.  Psalm 
145:17,  19. 

But  as  for  man,  we  know  his  mind  is  dark,  his  will 
perverse,  and  his  affections  carry  him  so  headlong, 
that  he  is  fitted  by  his  folly  and  corruption  to  such 
a  work  as  the  destroying  of  himself.  If  you  saw  q 
lamb  lie  killed  in  the  way,  would  you  sooner  suspect 
the  sheep  or  the  wolf  to  be  the  author  of  it,  if  the}' 
both  stand  by  ?  Or  if  you  see  a  house  broken  open, 
and  the  people  murdered,  would  you  sooner  suspect 
the  prince  or  judge,  that  is  wise  and  just,  and  had 
no  need,  or  a  known  thief  or  murderer  ?  I  say, 
therefore,  as  James,  1  :  13-15,  "Let  no  man  say, 
when  he  is  tempted,  that  he  is  tempted  of  God  ;  for 
God  cannot  be  tempted  with  evil,  neither  tempteth 
he  any  n^an,  (to  draw  him  to  sin ;)  but  eveiy  man  is 
tempted,  when  he  is  drawn  away  of  his  own  lust,  and 
enticed.  Then,  when  lust  hath  conceived,  it  bringeth 
forth  sin ;  and  sin,  when  it  is  finished,  bringeth  forth 
death."  You  see  here  that  sin  is  the  offspring  of 
your  own  concupiscence,  and  not  to  be  charged  on 
God ;  and  that  death  is  the  offspring  of  your  own 
sin,  and  the  fruit  which  it  will  yield  you  as  soon  a? 
it  is  ripe.  You  have  a  treasure  of  evil  m  yourselves, 
as  a  spider  hath  of  poison,  from  whence  you  are 
bringing  forth  hurt  to  yourselves,  and  spinning  such 
webs  as  entangle  your  own  souls.  Your  nature 
shows  it  is  you  that  are  the  cause. 

2.  It  is  evident  that  you  are  your  own  destroyers, 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  J 53 

in  (bat  you  are  so  ready  to  entertain  any  temptation 
almost  that  is  offered  to  you.  Satan  is  scarcely  more 
ready  to  move  you  to  any  evil,  than  you  are  ready 
to  hear  and  to  do  as  he  would  have  you.  If  he 
would  tempt  your  understanding  to  error  and  preju- 
dice, you  yield.  If  he  would  hinder  you  from  good 
resolutions,  it  is  soon  done.  If  he  would  cool  any 
good  desires  or  affections,  it  is  soon  done.  If  he 
would  kindle  any  lust,  or  vile  affections  and  desires 
in  you,  it  is  soon  done.  If  he  will  put  you  on  to 
evil  thoughts,  words,  or  deeds,  you  are  so  free  that 
he  needs  no  rod  or  spur.  If  he  would  keep  you 
from  holy  thoughts,  and  words,  and  ways,  a  little 
does  it,  you  need  no  curb.  You  examine  not  his 
suggestions,  nor  resist  them  with  any  resolution,  nor 
cast  them  out  as  be  casts  them  .in,  nor  quench  the 
sparks  which  he  endeavoreth  to  kindle  ;  but  you  set 
in  with  him,  and  meet  him  half  way,  and  embrace 
his  motions,  and  tempt  him  to  tempt  you.  And  it 
is  easy  for  him  to  catch  such  greedy  fish  that  are 
ranging  for  a  bait,  and  will  take  the  bare  hook. 

3.  Your  destruction  is  evidently  of  yourselves,  in 
that  you  resist  all  that  would  help  to  save  you,  and 
would  do  you  good,  or  hinder  you  from  undoing 
yourselves.  God  would  help  and  save  you  by  his 
word,  and  you  resist  it ;  it  is  too  strict  for  you.  He 
would  sanctify  you  by  his  Spirit,  and  you  resist  and 
quench  it.  If  any  man  reprove  you  for  your  sin, 
you  fly  in  his  face  with  evil  words  ;  and  if  he  would 


154  A    CALL   TO 

draw  you  to  a  holy  life,  and  tell  you  of  present  dan 
ger,  you  give  him  little  thanks,  but  either  bid  him 
look  to  himself,  he  will  not  have  to  answer  for  you ; 
or  at  best  you  put  him  off  with  heartless  thanks,  and 
will  not  turn  when  you  are  entreated.  If  ministers 
would  privately  instruct  and  help  you,  you  will  not 
come  to  them ;  your  unhumbled  souls  feel  but  little 
need  of  their  help ;  if  they  would  teach  you,  you 
are  too  old  to  be  taught,  though  y*ou  are  not  too  old 
to  be  ignorant  and  unholy.  Whatever  they  can  say 
to  you  for  your  good,  you  are  so  self- conceited  and 
wise  in  your  own  eyes,  even  in  the  depth  of  igno- 
rance, that  you  will  regard  nothing  that  agreeth  not 
with  your  present  conceits,  but  contradict  your  teach- 
ers, as  if  you  were  wiser  than  they ;  you  resist  all 
that  they  can  say  to  you,  by  your  ignorance,  and 
wilfulness,  and  foolish  cavils,  and  shifting  evasions, 
and  unthankful  rejections,  so  that  no  good  that  is 
offered  can  find  any  welcome,  or  acceptance,  or  en- 
tertainment with  you. 

4.  Moreover,  it  is  apparent  that  you  are  self- de- 
stroyers, in  that  you  "  draw  the  matter  of  your  sin 
and  destruction  even  from  the  blessed  God  himself.' ' 
You  like  not  the  contrivances  of  his  wisdom ;  you 
like  not  his  justice,  but  take  it  for  cruelty ;  you  like 
not  his  holiness,  but  are  ready  to  think  he  is  such  a 
one  as  yourselves,  Psalm  50  :  21,  and  makes  as  light 
of  sin  as  you  do ;  you  like  not  his  truth,  but  would 
have  his  threatenings,  even  his  peremptory  threat- 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  ]55 

enings  piove  false ;  and  his  goodness,  which  you 
seem  most  highly  to  approve,  you  partly  resist,  as 
it  would  lead  you  to  repentance ;  and  partly  abuse, 
to  the  strengthening  of  your  sin,  as  if  you  might 
more  freely  sin  because  God  is  merciful,  and  because 
his  grace  doth  so  much  abound. 

5.  Yea,  you  draw  down  destruction  even  from  the 
blessed  Redeemer,  and  death  from  the  Lord  of  life 
himself !  and  nothing  more  emboldeneth  you  in  sin, 
than  that  Christ  hath  died  for  you ;  as  if  now  the 
danger  of  death  were  over,  and  you  might  boldly 
venture ;  as  if  Christ  were  become  a  servant  to  Sa* 
tan  and  your  sins,  and  must  wait  upon  you  while 
you  are  abusing  him  ;  and  because  he  is  become  the 
Physician  of  souls,  and  is  able  to  save  to. the  utter- 
most all  that  come  to  God  by  him,  you  think  he 
must  suffer  you  to  refuse  his  help,  and  throw  away 
his  remedies,  and  must  save  you  whether  you  will 
come  to  God  by  him  or  not :  so  that  a  great  part  of 
your  sins  are  occasioned  by  your  bold  presumption 
upon  the  death  of  Christ,  not  considering  that  he 
came  to  redeem  his  people  from  their  sins,  and  to 
sanctify  them  a  peculiar  people  to  himself,  and  to 
conform  them  in  holiness  to  the  image  of  their  heav- 
enly Father,  and  to  their  head.  Matt.  1:21;  Tit. 
2  :  14  ;  1  Pet.  1  :  15,  16;  Coloss.  3  :  10,  11  ;  Phil. 
3 :  9,  10. 

6.  You  also  draw  your  own  destruction  from  all 
the  providences  and  works  of  God.    When  you  think 


15(5  A    CALL   TO 

of  his  eternal  foreknowledge  and  decrees,  it  is  to 
harden  you  in  your  sin,  or  possess  your  minds  with 
quarrelling  thoughts,  as  if  his  decrees  might  spare 
you  the  labor  of  repentance  and  a  holy  life,  or  else 
were  the  cause  of  your  sin  and  death.  If  he  afflict 
you,  you  repine ;  if  he  prosper  you,  you  the  more  for- 
get him,  and  are  the  more  backward  to  the  thoughts 
of  the  life  to  come.  If  the  wicked  prosper,  you  for- 
get the  end  that  will  set  all  reckonings  straight,  and 
are  ready  to  think  it  is  as  good  to  be  wicked  as  godly ; 
and  thus  you  draw  your  death  from  all. 

7.  And  you  pervert  to  your  ruin  all  the  creatures 
and  mercies  of  God  to  you.  He  giveth  them  to  you 
as  the  tokens  of  his  love  and  furniture  for  his  ser- 
vice, and  you  turn  them  against  him,  to  the  pleasing 
of  your  flesh.  You  eat  and  drink  to  please  your 
appetite,  and  not  for  the  glory  of  God  and  to  ena- 
ble you  to  perform  his  work.  Your  clothes  you 
abuse  to  pride ;  your  riches  draw  your  hearts  from 
heaven,  Phil.  3:18;  your  honors  and  applause  puff 
you  up ;  if  you  have  health  and  strength,  it  makes 
you  more  secure,  and  you  forget  your  end.  Yea, 
other  men's  mercies  are  abused  by  you  to  your  hurt. 
If  you  see  their  honors  and  dignity,  you  are  provoked 
to  envy  them  ;  if  you  see  their  riches,  you  are  ready 
to  covet  them ;  if  you  look  upon  beauty,  you  are 
stirred  up  to  lust ;  and  it  is  well  if  godliness  itself 
be  not  an  eyesore  to  you. 

8.  The  very  gifts  that  God   bestoweth  on  you, 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  157 

and  the  ordinances  of  grace  which  he  hath  instituted 
for  his  church,  you  turn  to  sin.  If  you  have  better 
parts  than  others,  you  grow  proud  and  self-conceit- 
ed ;  if  you  have  but  common  gifts,  you  take  them 
for  special  grace.  You  take  the  bare  hearing  of 
3  our  duty  for  so  good  a  work,  as  if  it  would  excuse 
}  ou  for  not  obeying  it.  Your  prayers  are  turned  into 
sin,  because  you  "regard  iniquity  in  your  hearts," 
and  depart  not  from  iniquity  when  you  call  on  the 
name  of  the  Lord.  Psalm  66  :  18;  2  Tim.  2  !  19. 
Your  "prayers  are  abominable,  because  you  turn 
away  your  ear  from  hearing  the  law,"  and  are  more 
ready  to  offer  the  sacrifice  of  fools,  thinking  you  do 
God  some  special  service,  than  to  hear  his  word  and 
obey  it.     Prov.  28  :  9  ;  Eccles.  5  :  1. 

9.  Yea,  the  persons  that  you  converse  with,  and 
all  their  actions,  you  make  the  occasions  of  your  sin 
and  destruction.  If  they  live  in  the  fear  of  God, 
you  hate  them.  If  they  live  ungodly,  you  imitate 
them ;  if  the  wicked  are  many,  you  think  you  may 
the  more  boldly  follow  them;  if  the  godly  be  few, 
you  are  the  more  emboldened  to  despise  them. .  If 
they  walk  exactly,  you  think  they  are  too  precise  ; 
if  one  of  them  fall  in  a  particular  temptation,  you 
stumble  and  turn  away  from  holiness  because  others 
are  imperfectly  holy ;  as  if  you  were  warranted  to 
break  your  necks  because  some  others  have,  by  their 
heedlessness,  sprained  a  sinew  or  put  out  a  bone. 
If  a  hypocrite  discover  himself,  you  say,  "  They  are 


158  A    CALL    TO 

all  alike,"  and  think  yourselves  as  honest  as  fhe 
best.  A  professor  can  scarce  slip  into  any  miscar- 
riage, but  because  he  cuts  his  finger  you  think  you 
may  boldly  cut  your  throats.  If  ministers  deal 
plainly  with  you,  you  say  they  rail.  If  they  speak 
gently  or  coldly,  you  either  sleep  under  them,  or  are 
little  more  affected  than  the  seats  you  sit  upon.  If 
any  errors  creep  into  the  church,  some  greedily  en- 
tertain them,  and  others  reproach  the  Christian  doc- 
trine for  them,  which  is  most  against  them.  And  if 
we  would  draw  you  from  any  ancient  rooted  error, 
which  can  but  plead  two,  or  three,  or  six,  or  seven 
hundred  years'  custom,  you  are  as  much  offended 
with  a  motion  for  reformation  as  if  you  were  to  lose 
your  life  by  it,  and  hold  fast  old  errors,  while  you 
cry  out  against  new  ones.  Scarce  a  difference  can 
arise  among  the  ministers  of  the  Gospel  but  you 
will  draw  your  own  death  from  it ;  and  you  will  not 
hear,  or  at  least  not  obey,  the  unquestionable  doc- 
trine of  any  of  those  that  agree  not  with  your  con- 
ceits. One  will  not  hear  a  minister  because  he 
readeth  his  sermons  ;  another  will  not  hear  him  be- 
cause he  doth  not  read  them.  One  will  not  hear  him 
because  he  saith  the  Lord's  prayer ;  and  another  will 
not  hear  him  because  he  doth  not  use  it.  One  will 
not  hear  them  that  are  for  episcopacy;  and  another 
will  not  hear  them  that  are  against  it.  And  thus  I 
might  show  you  in  many  other  cases,  how  you  turn 
all  that  comes  near  you  to  your  own  destruct;on  ;  so 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  159 

clear  is  it  that  the  ungodly  are  self-destroyers,  and 
that  their  perdition  is  of  themselves. 

Methinks  now,  upon  the  consideration  of  what  is 
said,  and  the  review  of  your  own  ways,  you  should 
bethink  you  what  you  have  done,  and  be  ashamed 
and  deeply  humbled  to  remember  it.  If  you  be  not, 
I  pray  you  consider  these  following  truths : 

1.  To  be  your  own  destroyers  is  to  sin  against 
the  deepest  principle  in  your  natures,  even  the  prin- 
ciple of  self-preservation.  Every  thing  naturally 
desireth  or  inclineth  to  its  own  felicity,  welfare,  or 
perfection ;  and  will  you  set  yourselves  to  your  own 
destruction?  When  you  are  commanded  to  love 
your  neighbors  as  yourselves,  it  is  supposed  that 
you  naturally  love  yourselves  ;  but  if  you  love  your 
neighbors  no  better  than  yourselves,  it  seems  you 
would  have  all  the  world  to  be  damned. 

2.  How  extremely  do  you  cross  your  own  inten- 
tions. I  know  you  intend  not  your  own  damna- 
tion, even  when  you  are  procuring  it ;  you  think 
you  are  but  doing  good  to  yourselves,  by  gratifying 
the  desires  of  your  flesh.  But,  alas,  it  is  but  as  a 
draught  of  cold  water  in  a  burning  fever,  or  as  the 
scratching  of  an  itching  wildfire,  which  increaseth 
the  disease  and  pain.  If  indeed  you  would  have 
pleasure,  profit,  or  honor,  seek  them  where  they  are 
to  be  found,  and  do  not  hunt  after  them  in  the  way 
to  hell 


Ififi  A   CALL  1  O 

3.  What  pity  is  it  that  you  should  do  that  against 
yourselves  which  none  else  on  earth  or  in  hell  can 
do  !  If  all  the  world  were  combined  against  you, 
or  all  the  devils  in  hell  were  combined  against  you, 
they  could  not  destroy  you  without  yourselves,  nor 
make  you  sin  but  by  your  own  consent :  and  will 
you  do  that  against  yourselves  which  no  one  else  can 
do  ?  You  have  hateful  thoughts  of  the  devil,  be- 
cause  he  is  your  enemy,  and  endeavoreth  your  de- 
struction ;  and  will  you  be  worse  than  devils  to  your- 
selves ?  Why,  thus  it  is  with  you,  if  you  had  hearts 
to  understand  it :  when  you  run  into  sin,  and  run 
from  godliness,  and  refuse  to  turn  at  the  call  of 
God,  you  do  more  against  your  own  souls  than  men 
or  devils  coald  do  besides ;  and  if  you  should  set 
yourselves  and  bend  your  wits  to  do  yourselves  the 
greatest  mischief,  you  could  not  devise  to  do  a 
greater. 

4.  You  are  false  to  the  trust  that  God  hath  re-  * 
posed  in  you.  He  hath  much  intrusted  you  with 
your  own  salvation ;  and  will  you  betray  your  trust  ? 
He  hath  set  you,  with  all  diligence,  to  keep  your 
hearts  ;  and  is  this  the  keeping  of  them  ?  Prov. 
4:23. 

5.  You  do  even  forbid  all  others  to  pity  you,  when 
you  will  have  no  pity  on  yourselves.  If  you  cry  to 
God  in  the  day  of  your  calamity  for  mercy,  mercy ; 
what  can  you  expect,  but  that  he  should  thrust  you 
away,  and  say,  "  Nay,  thou  wouldst  not  have  mercy 


1HE    UNCONVERTED.  161 

on  thyself:  who  brought  this  upon  thee  but  thy 
own  wilfulness  ?"  And  if  your  brethren  see  you 
everlastingly  in  misery,  how  shall  they  pity  you  that 
were  your  own  destroyers,  and  would  not  be  dis- 
suaded ? 

6.  It  will  everlastingly  make  you  your  own  tor- 
mentors in  hell,  to  think  that  you  brought  yourselves 
wilfully  to  that  misery.  0  what  a  piercing  thought 
it  will  be,  for  ever  to  think  with  yourselves  that  this 
was  your  own  doing ;  that  you  were  warned  of  this 
day,  and  warned  again,  but  it  would  not  do ;  that 
you  wilfully  sinned,  and  wilfully  turned  away  from 
God ;  that  you  had  time  as  well  as  others,  but  you 
abused  it ;  you  had  teachers  as  well  as  others,  but 
you  refused  their  instruction ;  you  had  holy  exam- 
ples, but  you  did  not  imitate  them ;  you  were  offered 
Christ,  and  grace,  and  glory,  as  well  as  others,  but 
you  had  more  mind  to  your  fleshly  pleasures  :  you 
had  a  price  in  your  hands,  but  you  had  not  a  heart 
to  lay  it  out.  Pro  v.  17  :  16.  Can  it  fail  to  torment 
you  to  think  of  this  your  present  folly  ?  0  that 
your  eyes  were  open  to  see  what  you  have  done  in 
the  wilful  wronging  of  your  own  souls  ;  and  that 
you  better  understood  these  words  of  God,  "  Hear 
instruction  and  be  wise,  and  refuse  it  not.  Blessed 
is  the  man  that  heareth  me,  watching  daily  at  my 
gates,  waiting  at  the  posts  of  my  doors ;  for  whoso 
findeth  me  findeth  life,  and  shall  obtain  favor  of  the 
Lord.      But  he  that  sinneth  against  me  wrongetb 

B.  Call.  11 


162  ACALL  TO 

his  own  soul :  all  they  that  hate  me  love  death." 
Prov.  8  :  33-36. 

And  now  I  am  come  to  trie  conclusion  of  this 
work,  my  heart  is  troubled  to  think  how  I  shall  leave 
you,  lest  after  this  the  flesh  should  still  deceive  you, 
and  the  world  and  the  devil  should  keep  you  asleep, 
and  I  should  leave  you  as  I  found  you,  till  you 
awake  in  hell.  Though  in  the  case  of  your  poor  souls, 
I  am  afraid  of  this,  as  knowing  the  obstinacy  of  a 
carnal  heart ;  yet  I  can  say  with  the  prophet  Jere- 
miah, "  I  have  not  desired  the  woful  day,  thou  Lord 
knowest,"  17  :  16.  I  have  not,  with  James  and 
John,  desired  that  "  fire  might  come  from  heaven  " 
to  consume  them  that  refused  Jesus  Christ.  Luke 
9:54.  But  it  is  the  preventing  of  the  eternal  fire 
that  I  have  been  all  this  while  endeavoring :  and  0 
that  it  had  been  a  needless  work!  that  God  and 
conscience  might  have  been  as  willing  to  spare  me 
this  labor  as  some  of  you  could  have  been.  Dear 
friends,  I  am  so  loath  that  you  should  lie  in  ever- 
lasting fire,  and  be  shut  out  of  heaven,  if  it  be  pos- 
sible to  prevent  it,  that  I  shall  once  more  ask  you, 
What  do  you  now  resolve  ?  Will  you  turn,  or  die  ? 
I  look  upon  you  as  a  physician  on  his  patient  in  a 
dangerous  disease,  that  saith  to  him,  "  Though  you 
are  far  gone,  take  but  this  medicine,  and  forbear  but 
these  few  things  that  are  hurtful  to  you,  and  I  dare 
wanant  your  life ;  but  if  you  will  not  do  tliis  you 


THE   UN  CONVERTED.  163 

are  but  a  dead  man."  What  would  you  think  of 
such  a  man,  if  the  physician,  and  all  the  friends  he 
hath,  cannot  persuade  him  to  take  one  medicine  to 
save  his  life,  or  to  forbear  one  or  two  poisonous 
things  that  would  kill  him  ?  This  is  your  case.  Ab 
far  as  you  are  gone  in  sin,  do  but  now  turn  and  come 
to  Christ,  and  take  his  remedies,  and  your  souls  shall 
live.  Cast  up  your  deadly  sins  by  repentance,  and 
return  not  to  the  poisonous  vomit  any  more,  and  you 
shall  do  well.  But  yet,  if  it  were  /our  bodies  that 
we  had  to  deal  with,  we  might  partly  know  what  to 
do  for  you.  Though  you  would  not  consent,  yet 
you  might  be  held  or  bound  while  the  medicine  was 
poured  down  your  throats,  and  hurtful  things  might 
be  kept  from  you.  But  abou*  your  souls  it  cannot 
be  so ;  we  cannot  convert  you  against  your  wills. 
There  is  no  carrying  madmen  to  heaven  in  fetters. 
You  may  be  condemned  against  your  wills,  because 
you  sinned  with  your  wills  ;  but  you  cannot  be 
saved  against  your  wills.  The  wisdom  of  God  has 
thought  meet  to  lay  men's  salvation  or  destruction 
exceeding  much  upon  the  choice  of  their  own  will, 
that  no  man  shall  come  to  heaven  that  chose  not 
the  way  to  heaven ;  and  no  man  shall  come  to  hell, 
but  shall  be  forced  to  say,  "  I  have  the  thing  I  chose, 
my  own  will  did  bring  me  hither."  Now,  if  I  could 
but  get  you  to  be  willing,  to  be  thoroughly,  and  re- 
solvedly, and  habitually  willing,  the  work  were  more 
than  half  done.     And  alas,  must  we  lose  our  friends, 


164  A    CALL   TO 

and  must  they  lose  their  God,  their  happiness,  their 
tiouls,  for  want  of  this?  0  God  forbid!  It  is  a 
strange  thing1  to  me  that  men  are  so  unnatural  and 
stupid  in  the  greatest  matters,  who  in  lesser  things 
are  civil  and  courteous,  and  good  neighbors. 

For  aught  I  know,  I  have  the  love  of  all,  or  al- 
most all  my  neighbors,  so  far,  that  if  I  should  send 
to  any  man  in  the  town,  or  parish,  or  county,  and 
request  a  reasonable  courtesy  of  them,  they  would 
grant  it  me ;  and  yet  when  I  come  to  request  of 
them  the  greatest  matter  in  the  world,  for  them- 
selves and  not  for  me,  I  can  have  nothing  of  many 
of  them  but  a  patient  hearing.  I  know  not  whether 
people  think  a  man  in  the  pulpit  is  in  good  earnest 
or  not,  and  means  as  he  speaks  ;  for  I  think  I  have 
few  neighbors  but  if  I  were  sitting  familiarly  with 
them,  and  telling  them  what  I  have  seen  and  done, 
or  known  in  the  world,  they  would  believe  me  and 
regard  what  I  say ;  but  when  I  tell  them  from  the 
infallible  word  of  God,  what  they  themselves  shall 
see  and  know  in  the  world  to  come,  they  show  by 
their  lives  that  they  do  either  not  believe  it  or  not 
much  regard  it.  If  I  met  any  one  of  them  on  the 
way,  and  told  them  yonder  is  a  coal-pit,  or  there  is 
a  quicksand,  or  there  are  thieves  lying  in  wait  for 
you,  I  could  persuade  them  to  turn  by ;  but  when 
I  tell  them  that  Satan  lieth  in  wait  for  them,  and 
that  sin  is  poison  to  them,  and  that  hell  is  not  a 
matter  to  be  jested  with,  they  go  on  as  if  they  did 


THE   UNCONVERTED.  165 

not  hear  me.  Truly,  neighbors,  I  am  in  as  good 
earnest  with  you  in  the  pulpit  as  I  am  in  any  famil- 
iar discourse  ;  and  if  ever  you  will  regard  me,  I  be- 
seech you  let  it  be  here. 

I  think  there  is  not  a  man  of  you  all,  but  if  my 
own  soul  lay  at  your  wills,  you  would  be  willing  to 
save  it,  though  I  cannot  promise  that  you  would 
leave  your  sins  for  it.  Tell  me,  thou  drunkard,  art 
thou  so  cruel  to  me,  that  thou  wouldst  not  forbear 
a  few  cups  of  drink,  if  thou  knewest  it  would  save 
my  soul  from  hell  ?  Hadst  thou  rather  that  I  did 
burn  there  for  ever  than  thou  shouldst  live  soberly 
as  other  men  do  ?  If  so,  may  I  not  say,  thou  art 
an  unmerciful  monster,  and  not  a  man?  If  I  came 
hungry  or  naked  to  one  of  your  doors,  would  you 
not  part  with  more  than  a  cup  of  drink  to  relieve 
me  ?  I  am  confident  you  would.  If  it  were  to 
save  my  life,  I  know  you  would,  some  of  you,  haz- 
ard your  own ;  and  yet  will  you  not  be  entreated  to 
part  with  your  sensual  pleasures  for  your  own  sal- 
vation ?  Wouldst  thou  forbear  a  hundred  cups  of 
drink  to  save  my  life,  if  it  were  in  th}&  power,  and 
wilt  thou  not  do  it  to  save  thy  own  soul  ?  I  profess 
to  you,  sirs,  I  am  as  hearty  a  beggar  with  you  this 
day  for  the  saving  of  your  own  souls,  as  I  would  be 
for  my  own  supply,  if  I  were  forced  to  come  begging 
to  your  doors  ;  and  therefore  if  you  would  hear  me 
then,  hear  me  now.  If  you  would  pity  me  then,  be 
entreated  now  to  pity  yourselves.     I  do  again  be- 


166  A   GALL  TO 

seech  you,  as  if  it  were  on  my  bended  knees,  that 
you  would  hearken  to  your  Redeemer,  and  turn,  that 
you  may  live. 

All  you  that  have  lived  in  ignorance,  and  careless- 
ness, and  presumption  to  this  day';  all  you  that  have 
been  drowned  in  the  cares  of  the  world,  and  have 
no  mind  of  God  and  eternal  glory ;  all  you  that  are 
enslaved  to  your  fleshly  desires  of  meats  and  drinks, 
sports  and  lusts ;  and  all  you  that  know  not  the  ne- 
cessity of  holiness,  and  never  were  acquainted  with 
the  sanctifying  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  upon  your 
souls ;  that  never  embraced  your  blessed  Redeemer 
by  a  lively  faith,  and  with  admiring  and  thankful 
apprehensions  of  his  love ;  and  that  never  felt  a 
higher  estimation  of  God  and  heaven,  and  a  heartier 
love  to  them  than  to  your  fleshly  prosperity,  and  the 
things  below  ;  I  earnestly  beseech  you,  not  only  foi 
my  sake,  but  for  the  Lord's  sake,  and  for  your  soul's 
sake,  that  you  go  not  on  one  day  longer  in  your  for- 
mer condition,  but  look  about  you,  and  cry  to  God 
for  converting  grace,  that  you  may  be  made  new 
creatures,  and  may  escape  the  plagues  that  are  but 
a  little  before  you.  And  if  ever  you  will  do  any 
thing  for  me,  grant  me  this  request,  to  turn  from 
your  evil  ways  and  live.  Deny  me  any  thing  that 
ever  I  shall  ask  you  for  myself,  if  you  will  but  grant 
me  this ;  and  if  you  deny  me  this,  I  care  not  for 
any  thing  else  that  you  would  grant  me.  Nay,  as 
ever  you  will  do  ^ny  thing  at  the  request  of  the  Lord 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  167 

that  made  you,  and  redeemed  you,  deny  him  not 
this  ;  for  if  you  deny  him  this,  he  cares  for  nothing 
that  you  shall  grant  him.  As  ever  you  would  have 
him  hear  your  prayers,  and  grant  your  requests,  and 
do  for  you  at  the  hour  of  death  and  day  of  judg- 
ment, or  in  any  of  your  extremities,  deny  not  his 
request  now  in  the  day  of  your  prosperity.  0  sirs, 
believe  it,  death  and  judgment,  and  heaven  and  hell, 
are  other  matters  when  you  come  near  them,  than 
they  seem  to  carnal  eyes  afar  off:  then  you  would 
hear  such  a  message  as  I  bring  you  with  more  awa- 
kened, regardful  hearts. 

Well,  though  I  cannot  hope  so  well  of  all,  I  will 
hope  that  some  of  you  are  by  this  time  purposing 
to  turn  and  live  ;  and  that  you  are  ready  to  ask  me, 
as  the  Jews  did  Peter  when  they  were  pricked  in 
their  hearts  and  said,  "  Men  and  brethren,  what  shall 
we  do  ?"  Acts  2:37.  How  may  we  come  to  be  truly 
converted  ?  We  are  willing,  if  we  did  but  know  our 
duty.  God  forbid  that  we  should  choose  destruction 
by  refusing  conversion,  as  hitherto  we  have  done. 

If  these  be  the  thoughts  and  purposes  of  your 
hearts,  I  say  of  you  as  God  did  of  a  promising  peo- 
ple, Deut.  5  :  28,  29,  "  They  have  well  said  all  that 
they  have  spoken :  0  that  there  was  such  a  heart 
in  them,  that  they  would  fear  me,  and  keep  all  my 
commandments  always  !"  Your  purposes  are  good : 
0  that  there  were  but  a  heart  in  you  to  perform 
these  purposes !     And  in  hope  hereof  I  shall  gladly 


168  A   CALL  TO 

give  you  direction  what  to  do,  and  that  but  briefly, 
that  you  may  the  more  easily  remember  it  for  your 
practice. 

Direction  I.  If  you  would  be  converted  and 
saved,  labor  to  understand  the  necessity  and  true 
nature  of  conversion ;  for  what,  and  from  what,  and 
to  what,  and  by  what  it  is  that  you  must  turn. 

Consider  in  what  a  lamentable  condition  you  are 
till  the  hour  of  your  conversion,  that  you  may  see 
it  is  not  a  state  to  be  rested  in.  You  are  under  the 
guilt  of  all  the  sins  that  ever  you  committed,  and 
under  the  wrath  of  God  and  the  curse  of  his  law ; 
you  are  bondslaves  to  the  devil,  and  daily  employed 
in  his  work  against  the  Lord,  yourselves,  and  others ; 
you  are  spiritually  dead  and  deformed,  as  being  de- 
void of  the  holy  life,  and  nature,  and  image  of  the 
Lord.  You  are  unfit  for  any  holy  work,  and  do 
nothing  that  is  truly  pleasing  to  God.  You  are 
without  any  promise  or  assurance  of  his  protection, 
and  live  in  continual  danger  of  his  justice,  not  know- 
ing what  hour  you  may  be  snatched  away  to  hell, 
and  most  certain  to  be  damned  if  you  die  in  that 
condition ;  and  nothing  short  of  conversion  can  pre- 
vent it.  Whatever  civilities,  or  amendments,  or  vir- 
tues are  short  of  true  conversion,  will  never  procure 
the  saving  of  your  souls.  Keep  the  true  sense  of 
this  natural  misery,  and  so  of  the  necessity  of  con- 
version, on  your  hearts. 


THE    UNCONVERTED  169 

And  then  you  must  understand  what  it  is  to  be 
converted ;  it  is  to  have  a  new  heart  or  disposition, 
and  a  new  conversation. 

1.  Consider  for  what  you  must  turn.  For  these 
ends  following,  which  you  may  attain :  1 .  You  shall 
immediately  be  made  living  members  of  Christ,  and 
have  an  interest  in  him,  and  be  renewed  after  the 
image  of  God,  and  be  adorned  with  all  his  graces, 
and  quickened  with  a  new  and  heavenly  life,  and 
saved  from  the  tyranny  of  Satan  and  the  dominion 
of  sin,  and  be  justified  from  the  curse  of  the  law, 
and  have  the  pardon  of  all  the  sins  of  your  whole 
lives,  and  be  accepted  of  God,  and  made  his  sons, 
and  have  liberty  with  boldness  to  call  him  Father, 
and  go  to  him  by  prayer  in  all  your  needs,  with  a 
promise  of  acceptance ;  you  shall  have  the  Holy 
Ghost  to  dwell  in  you,  to  sanctify  and  guide  you;' 
you  shall  have  part  in  the  brotherhood,  communion, 
and  prayers  of  the  saints ;  you  shall  be  fitted  for 
God's  service,  and  be  freed  from  the  dominion  of  sin, 
and  be  useful,  and  a  blessing  to  the  place  where  you 
live ;  and  shall  have  the  promise  of  this  life,  and 
that  which  is  to  come :  you  shall  want  nothing  that 
is  truly  good  for  you,  and  your  necessary  afflictions 
you  will  be  enabled  to  bear ;  you  may  have  some 
taste  of  communion  with  God  in  the  Spirit,  especially 
in  all  holy  ordinances,  where  God  prepareth  a  feast 
for  your  souls ;  you  shall  be  heirs  of  heaven  while 
you  live  on  earth,  and  may  foresee  by  faith  the  ever- 


170  A    CALL    TO 

lasting  glory,  and  so  may  live  and  die  in  peace ;  and 
you  shall  never  be  so  low  but  your  happiness  will 
be  incomparably  greater  than  your  misery. 

How  precious  is  every  one  of  these  blessings, 
which  I  do  but  briefly  name,  and  which  in  this  life 
you  may  receive ! 

And  then,  2.  At  death  your  souls  shall  go  to 
Christ,  and  at  the  day  of  judgment  both  soul  and 
body  shall  be  justified  and  glorified,  and  enter  into 
your  Master's  joy,  where  your  happiness  will  con- 
sist in  these  particulars  : 

(1.)  You  shall  be  perfected  yourselves ;  your  mor- 
tal bodies  shall  be  made  immortal,  and  the  corrupt- 
ible shall  put  on  incorruption ;  you  shall  no  more  be 
hungry,  or  thirsty,  or  weary,  or  sick,  nor  shall  you 
need  to  fear  either  shame,  or  sorrow,  or  death,  or 
hell ;  your  souls  shall  be  perfectly  freed  from  sin, 
and  perfectly  fitted  for  the  knowledge,  and  love,  and 
praises  of  the  Lord. 

(2.)  Your  employment  shall  be  to  behold  your 
glorified  Redeemer,  with  all  your  holy  fellow-citizens 
of  heaven,  and  to  see  the  glory  of  the  most  blessed 
God,  and  to  love  him  perfectly,  and  be  beloved  by 
him,  and  to  praise  him  everlastingly. 

(3.)  Your  glory  will  contribute  to  the  glory  of 
the  New  Jerusalem,  the  city  of  the  living  God, 
which  is  more  than  to  have  a  private  felicity  to 
yourselves. 

(4  )  Your  glory  will  contribute  to  the  glorifying 


THE    UNCONVERTED.  171 

of  your  Redeemer,  who  will  everlastingly  be  magni- 
fied and  pleased  in  you  that  are  the  travail  of  his 
soul,  and  this  is  more  than  the  glorifying  of  your- 
selves. 

(5.)  And  the  eternal  Majesty,  the  living  God,  will 
be  glorified  in  your  glory,  both  as  he  is  magnified 
by  your  praises,  and  as  he  communicateth  of  his 
glory  and  goodness  to  you,  and  as  he  is  pleased  in 
you,  and  in  the  accomplishment  of  his  glorious  work, 
in  the  glory  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  and  of  his  Son. 

All  this  the  poorest  beggar  of  you  that  is  con- 
verted shall  certainly  and  endlessly  enjoy. 

2.  Next,  you  must  understand  from  what  you  must 
tarn ;  and  this  is,  in  a  word,  from  your  carnal  self, 
which  is  the  end  of  all  the  unconverted ;  from  the 
flesh,  that  would  be  pleased  before  God,  and  would 
still  be  enticing  you;  from  the  world,  that  is  the 
bait ;  and  from  the  devil,  that  is  the  angler  for  souls, 
and  the  deceiver.  And  so  from  all  known  and  wil- 
ful sins. 

3.  Next,  you  must  know  to  what  you  must  turn ; 
and  that  is,  to  God  as  your  end ;  to  Christ  as  the 
way  to  the  Father  ;  to  holiness  as  the  way  appointed 
you  by  Christ ;  and  to  the  use  of  all  the  helps  and 
means  of  grace  afforded  you  by  the  Lord. 

4.  Lastly,  you  must  know  by  what  you  must  turn, 
and  that  is  by  Christ,  as  the  only  Redeemer  and  In- 
tercessor ;  and  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  the  Sanctifier , 
and  by  the  word,  as  his  instrument  or  means ;  and 


172  A  CALL  TO 

by  faith  and  repentance,  as  the  means  and  duties  on  your 
part  to  be  performed.    All  this  is  of  necessity. 

Direction  II.  If  you  will  be  converted  and  saved,  be 
much  in  secret  serious  consideration.  Inconsiderate- 
ness  undoes  the  world.  Withdraw  yourselves  oft  into 
retired  secresy,  and  there  bethink  you  of  the  end  why 
you  were  made,  of  the  life  you  have  lived,  of  the  time 
you  have  lost,  the  sins  you  have  committed  ;  of  the  love, 
and  sufferings,  and  fulness  of  Christ ;  of  the  danger  you 
are  in ;  of  the  nearness  of  death  and  judgment ;  of  the 
certainty  and  excellency  of  the  joys  of  heaven ;  and  of 
the  certainty  and  terror  of  the  torments  of  hell,  and 
the  eternity  of  both ;  and  of  the  necessity  of  conver- 
sion and  a  holy  life.  Absorb  your  hearts  in  such  con- 
siderations as  these. 

Direction  III.  If  you  will  be  converted  and  saved, 
attend  upon  the  word  of  God,  which  is  the  ordinary 
means.  Head  the  Scripture,  or  hear  it  read,  and  other 
holy  writings  that  do  apply  it ;  constantly  attend  on  the 
public  preaching  of  the  word.  As  God  will  lighten  the 
world  by  the  sun,  and  not  by  himself  without  it,  so  will 
he  convert  and  save  men  by  his  ministers,  who  are  the 
lights  of  the  world.  Acts  26:17,  18;  Matt.  5:14.  When 
he  had  miraculously  humbled  Paul,  he  sent  Ananias  to 
him,  Acts  9 :  10,  and  when  he  had  sent  an  angel  to  Cor- 
nelius, it  was  but  to  bid  him  send  for  Peter,  who  must 
tell  him  what  to  believe  and  do. 

Direction  IV.  Betake  yourselves  to  God  in  a  courso 
of  earnest  constant  prayer.  Confess  and  lament  your 
former  lives,  and  beg  his  grace  to  illuminate  and  con- 
vert you.     Beseech  him  to  pardon  what  is  past,  and  to 


THE   UNCONVERTED.  173 

give  you  his  Spirit,  and  change  your  hearts  and  lives, 
and  lead  you  in  his  ways,  and  save  you  from  temptation 
Pursue  this  work  daily,  and  be  not  weary, of  it. 

Direction  Y.  Presently  give  over  your  known  and 
wilful  sins.  Make  a  stand,  and  go  that  way  no  farther. 
Be  drunk  no  more,  but  avoid  the  very  occasion  of  it. 
Cast  away  your  lusts  and  sinful  pleasures  with  detesta- 
tion. Curse  and  swear  and  rail  no  more  ;  and  if  you 
have  wronged  any,  restore  as  Zaccheus  did ;  if  you  will 
commit  again  your  old  sins,  what  blessing  can  you 
expect  on  the  means  for  conversion? 

Direction  VI.  Immediately,  if  possible,  change  youi 
company,  if  it  hath  hitherto  been  bad ;  not  by  forsaking 
your  necessary  relations,  but  your  unnecessary  sinful 
companions ;  and  join  yourselves  with  those  that  fear 
the  Lord,  and  inquire  of  them  the  way  to  heaven.  Acts 
9:26;  Psalm  15:4. 

Direction  VII.  Deliver  up  yourselves  to  the  Lord 
Jesus,  as  the  physician  of  your  souls,  that  he  may  par- 
don you  by  his  blood,  and  sanctify  you  by  his  Spirit, 
by  his  word  and  ministers,  the  instruments  of  the 
Spirit.  He  is  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life  ;.  there  is 
no  coming  to  the  Father  but  by  him.  John  14 : 6.  Nor 
is  there  any  other  name  under  heaven  by  which  you 
can  be  saved.  Acts  4:12.  Study,  therefore,  his  per- 
son and  natures,  and  what  he  hath  done  for  you,  and 
what  he  is  to  you,  and  what  he  will  be,  and  how  he  is 
fitted  to  the  full  supply  ( f  all  your  necessities. 

Direction  VIII.  If  you  mean  indeed  to  turn  and 
live,  do  it  speedily,  without  delay.  If  you  be  not  will-* 
Ing  to  turn  to-day,  you  are  not  willing  to  do  it  at  alL 


114  A  CALL  TO 

"Remember,  you  are  all  this  while  in  your  blood,  under 
the  guilt  of  many  thousand  sins,  and  under  God's  wrath, 
and  you  stand  at  the  very  brink  of  hell ;  there  is  but 
a  step  between  you  and  death :  and  this  is  not  a  state 
for  a  man  in  his  right  mind  to  be  quiet  in.  Up  there- 
fore presently,  and  fly  as  for  your  lives,  as  you  would 
be  gone  out  of  your  house  if  it  were  all  on  fire  over 
your  head.  Oh,  if  you  did  but  know  in  what  con- 
tinual danger  you  live,  and  what  daily  unspeakable  loss 
you  sustain,  and  what  a  safer  and  sweeter  life  you  might 
live,  you  would  not  stand  trifling,  but  presently  turn. 
Multitudes  miscarry  that  wilfully  delay  when  they  are 
convinced  that  it  must  be  done.  Your  lives  are  short 
and  uncertain ;  and  what  a  case  are  you  in,  if  you  die 
before  you  thoroughly  turn !  You  have  stayed  too  long 
already,  and  wronged  God  too  long.  Sin  getteth  strength 
while  you  delay.  Your  conversion  will  grow  more  hard 
and  doubtful.  You  have  much  to  do,  and  therefore  put 
not  all  off  to  the  last,  lest  God  forsake  you,  and  give  you 
up  to  yourselves,  and  then  you  are  undone  for  ever. 

Direction  IX.  If  you  will  turn  and  live,  do  it  un- 
reservedly, absolutely,  and  universally.  Think  not  to 
capitulate  with  Christ,  and  divide  your  heart  between 
him  and  the  world ;  and  to  part  with  some  sins  and 
keep  the  rest ;  and  to  let  that  go  which  your  flesh  can 
spare.  This  is  but  self-deluding  ;  you  must  in  heart  and 
resolution  forsake  all  that  you  have,  or  else  you  can- 
not be  his  disciples.  Luke  14:26,  33.  If  you  will  not 
take  God  and  heaven  for  your  portion,  and  lay  all  be- 
low at  the  feet  of  Christ,  but  you  must  needs  also  have 
your  good  things  here,  and  have  an  earthly  portion. 


THE  UNCONVERTED.  H5 

and  God  and  glory  are  not  enough  for  yon,  it  is  vain  to 
dream  of  salvation  on  these  terms  ;  for  it  will  not  be. 
If  yon  seem  ever  so  religions,  if  yet  it  be  but  a  carnal 
righteousness,  and  if  the  flesh's  prosperity,  or  pleasure, 
or  safety,  be  still  excepted  in  your  devotedness  to  God, 
this  is  as  certain  a  way  to  death  as  open  profanenesa, 
though  it  be  more  plausible. 

Direction  X.  If  you  will  turn  and  live,  do  it  resolv- 
edly, and  stand  not  still  deliberating,  as  if  it  were  a 
doubtful  case.  Stand  not  wavering,  as  if  you  were  un- 
certain whether  God  or  the  flesh  be  the  better  master, 
or  whether  sin  or  holiness  be  the  better  way,  or  whether 
heaven  or  hell  be  the  better  end.  But  away  with  your 
former  lusts,  and  presently,  habitually,  fixedly  resolve. 
Be  not  one  day  of  one  mind,  and  the  next  day  of  anoth- 
er ;  but  be  at  a  point  with  all  the  world,  and  resolvedly 
give  up  yourselves  and  all  you  have  to  God.  Now, 
while  you  are  reading,  or  hearing  this,  resolve  ;  before 
you  sleep  another  night,  resolve ;  before  you  stir  from 
the  place,  resolve ;  before  Satan  have  time  to  take  you 
off,  resolve.  You  will  never  turn  indeed  till  you  do 
resolve,  and  that  with  a  firm  unchangeable  resolu- 
tion. 

And  now  I  have  done  my  part  in  this  work,  that  you 
may  turn  at  the  call  of  God  and  live.  What  will  become 
of  it  I  cannot  tell.  I  have  cast  the  seed  at  God's  com- 
mand; but  it  is  not  in  my  power  to  give  the  increase. 
I  can  go  no  further  with  my  message ;  I  cannot  bring  it 
to  your  heart,  nor  make  it  work ;  I  cannot  do  your  part 
for  you,  which  is  to  entertain  it  and  consider  it ;  nor 


1^0  A  CALL  T0  THE  UNCONVERTED. 

can  I  do  God's  part,  by  opening  your  heart  to  causa 
you  to  entertain  it ;  nor  can  I  show  heaven  or  hell  to 
your  sight,  nor  give  you  new  and  tender  hearts.  If  I 
knew  what  more  to  do  for  your  conversion,  I  hope  I 
should  do  it. 

But  Oh  thou  that  art  the  gracious  Father  of  spirits*- 
thou  hast  sworn  thou  delightest  not  in  the  death  of  the 
wicked,  but  rather  that  they  turn  and  live  ;  deny  not  thy 
blessing  to  these  persuasions  and  directions,  and  suf- 
fer not  thine  enemies  to  triumph  in  thy  sight,  and  the 
great  deceiver  of  souls  to  prevail  against  thy  Son,  thy 
Spirit,  and  thy  word.  Oh  pity  poor  unconverted  sin- 
ners, that  have  no  hearts  to  pity  or  help  themselves. 
Command  the  blind  to  see,  and  the  deaf  to  hear,  and  the 
dead  to  live,  and  let  not  sin  and  death  be  able  to  resist 
thee.  Awaken  the  secure,  resolve  the  unresolved,  con- 
firm the  wavering ;  and  let  the  eyes  of  sinners  that 
read  these  lines  be  next  employed  in  weeping  over 
their  sins,  and  bring  them  to  themselves,  and  to  thx 
Son,  before  their  sins  have  brought  them  to  perdition. 
If  thou  say  but  the  word,  these  poor  endeavors  shaD 
prosper  to  the  winning  of  many  a  soul,  to  their  everlast- 
ing joy  and  thine  everlasting  glory.    Amen. 


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